Town-Crier Newspaper February 12, 2021

MANURE DEADLINE CAUSING CONCERNS SEE STORY, PAGE 4

IZZY’S EMPANADAS NOW OPEN IN RPB SEE STORY, PAGE 7

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INSIDE Elbridge Gale Mourns Popular Teacher Toni Koy

Volume 42, Number 4 February 12 - February 25, 2021

Serving Palms West Since 1980

2021 GREAT CHARITY CHALLENGE

Everyone seems to have a story about a special teacher who really made a difference in their lives. For many in the Wellington area, that person was Elbridge Gale Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Toni Koy, who died Jan. 21 at age 64 after a battle with cancer. Page 3

Boys & Girls Club Annual Wellington Golf Classic A Success

Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County’s 39th annual Wellington Golf Classic was a success, despite changes due to COVID-19. The event held on Friday, Jan. 29 at the Wellington National Golf Club was filled with excitement as guests gathered to benefit the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club of Wellington. Page 16

Beverly Polo Caps Off 18-Goal Debut With Ylvisaker Cup Triumph

Played on Sunday, Feb. 7 on the U.S. Polo Assn. Field 1 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, the Ylvisaker Cup final was a fastpaced offensive battle waged beneath overcast skies. Leading throughout the game with unstoppable determination, Beverly Polo claimed the title 15-11 just before a sudden downpour. Page 18

PBCHS Girls Lacrosse Team Focused On Achieving Greatness

The Palm Beach Central High School girls lacrosse team is motivated and determined to win this year. With a squad of 22 players, which includes 12 seniors, Palm Beach Central’s head coach Travis Abel is optimistic that this season will be the best one in the history of the PBCHS girls lacrosse program. Page 21 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 18 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 7 SPORTS......................... 21 - 23 PEOPLE................................. 24 SCHOOLS.............................. 25 BUSINESS............................. 27 COLUMNS............................. 28 CLASSIFIEDS................ 29 - 30 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

What is usually the biggest night of the 12-week Winter Equestrian Festival, the Great Charity Challenge, presented by Fidelity Investments, pivoted to a blend of in-person competition for riders and virtual celebrations for charities and supporters on Saturday, Feb. 6. The competition was held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, and the big winner was the YWCA of Palm Beach County. Shown above is Teddi Pritzker aboard Catungee, who rode on Team Welles for the Palm Beach County Food Bank. SEE STORY, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY LOIS SPATZ

Incumbent Lisa El-Ramey Faces Challenger Marianne Miles In Groves Election

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report Roads, public works and commercial development are the key issues as incumbent Lisa ElRamey and challenger Marianne Miles square off for Seat 3 on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council in the Tuesday, March 9 election.

“We incorporated in 2006 so that we could have our own rules,” said Miles, a New York State native who has lived in Loxahatchee Groves since 1990. “Certain things have been neglected a long time.

We’re still stuck in the mud, literally and metaphorically. We’ve been spinning our wheels for years, and that’s why I’m running.”

Miles noted that the narrow roads that often run beside canals are so poorly maintained that they pose a safety hazard not only for drivers but also for law enforcement and fire-rescue vehicles

trying to respond to emergencies.

She said that she favors paving all of the “letter roads.”

“There are too many fatalities in our roads,” Miles said. “We need to make a plan, set a schedule and get moving on it. It’s time for paving.”

El-Ramey, a Florida native and a professional in the equestrian industry, was elected in 2019 to fill a vacancy. She is currently serving as the community’s mayor, a post that is appointed from among the council members.

“My position hasn’t changed,” she said. “I believe we need to maintain the rural character of our community, which I would define as narrow roads, limited commercial traffic and bigger tracts of land.”

She is not opposed to paving some of the roads.

“Paved roads in some instances are fine, but there will always

need to be speed bumps… [and] the money needed to pay for them would cause taxes to go up tremendously,” said El-Ramey, who is currently seeking a full three-year term. “We’ve seen a big influx of people from Wellington due to affordability and a more natural setting. A lot more equestrians are staying or wanting to stay year-round. We need to make sure that our community remains [financially] accessible to the average horse owner.”

In fact, there needs to be more and better access to riding trails, which already are being squeezed to the off-road side of many canals, which property owners often are reluctant to allow, said El-Ramey, adding that paving roads would further limit the options for horse owners.

Still, El-Ramey said she is wellaware of the maintenance issues See LOX SEAT 3, page 4

Wellington Council, Community Praise Retired Manager Paul Schofield

By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report There was a cheerful, celebratory atmosphere at the Tuesday, Feb. 9 meeting of the Wellington Village Council, where the bulk of the time was taken up by offering kudos to Paul Schofield, who recently retired as the village manager.

Council members were joined by village staff, residents, colleagues and community leaders expressing appreciation for Schofield. They praised his years of service to the community and said goodbye after a successful tenure as only the second village manager in Wellington’s 25-year history.

A unanimous proclamation recognizing Schofield for his dedication and service began the evening, which was filled with many inside jokes, jocular comments and heartfelt gratitude. A veritable who’s who of past and present community leaders, as well as children and grandchildren, expressed well wishes in person and on video.

“I don’t think all these people came here to hear approval of the consent agenda,” Schofield’s protégé and new Village Manager Jim Barnes teased as he asked that the public hearing comments be held at the beginning of the meeting before the actual business of the night, and that guests be allowed to speak as long as they wanted.

Schofield was placed front and center for the evening, although it was acknowledged that during his career, he has always made it a point of managing from the background, making things happen without calling attention to himself.

“Do I need to take notes?” asked Schofield from the front table.

“Never again,” Mayor Anne Gerwig responded.

Many speakers came forward and discussed the excellent workings of Wellington under Schofield’s leadership. Many also remarked that Schofield handled many challenging situations with integrity, professionalism and a See SCHOFIELD, page 8

Paul Schofield surrounded by his grandchildren Brooke, Bryan, Roman and Allie at Tuesday’s Wellington Village Council meeting.

PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Next Step In ITID’s Santa Rosa Groves Activation Expected Vaccine Backlog Top Issue As At Feb. 17 Meeting Virus Begins Trending Down

By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report Getting vaccine shots into the arms of county residents remains the top priority for the Palm Beach County Commission.

On Monday, Feb. 8, the board extended its emergency order on facial covering requirements countywide until Feb. 19 and the COVID-19 state of emergency order until Feb 21. Those orders have been extended every few weeks since last spring — and will almost certainly be extended again later this month.

At the board’s Tuesday, Feb. 9 meeting, Florida Department of Health-Palm Beach County Director Dr. Alina Alonso and new Emergency Management Director Mary Blakeney updated the commissioners on the status of the pandemic.

While overall cases in the Unit-

ed States seem to be dropping, Florida’s case numbers remain serious.

“Florida has the highest number [of coronavirus cases] right now, and that makes perfect sense since we have people traveling from all over the country to Florida, so we need to be very careful,” Alonso warned. “People are letting their guard down and are forgetting to have their masks inside, and they’re forgetting to use their masks when they are with other people. We just have to be extra, extra careful because we do not want these virulent viruses to spread. That could be disastrous and put us into another wave.”

Alonso went on to explain that according to the CDC, the new virulent mutations of the virus can be controlled by the vaccine — so far. She provided details on how despite a spike in early January,

the graph of new COVID-19 cases is decreasing.

“If that graph continues to come down, we probably have another three or four months until it comes down to where we can be safe,” Alonso said. “We are doing a great job, and people are happy about the vaccine, but they cannot forget that this is not over. This curve has to come all the way down. Each time that we have gotten a little relaxed, thinking that it has gone away, it pops back up. It starts coming down, we get careless, goes back up. So, let’s do it right this time.”

As of Monday, Feb. 8, Palm Beach County has had 111,437 total positive cases. This includes 5,759 hospitalizations and 2,269 deaths due to COVID-19.

With all the data being collected and shared, Alonso focused on See VIRUS, page 7

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report The long-running effort by Santa Rosa Groves property owners and the Indian Trail Improvement District to come together about ITID taking over maintenance of the rural neighborhood’s roads and drainage may be about to become reality.

During a district workshop on Wednesday, Feb. 10, ITID attorney Frank Palen told supervisors that a Jan. 7 ruling in Palm Beach County Circuit Court removed the last legal barrier preventing the district from voting on the Santa Rosa Groves’ request that ITID take over the maintenance easements.

Palen said he has added the request to the board’s consent agenda for its Wednesday, Feb. 17 meeting.

However, before the process — called an “activation” — can be completed, ITID officials must meet with the property owners

and a water control plan must be adopted.

“I think we’re close to clearing up this 40-year-old kerfuffle,” said Palen, who has been helping the Santa Rosa Groves Homeowners’ Association navigate the process.

Created in the 1970s, Santa Rosa Groves is made up of 99 lots ranging from five acres to 20 acres.

The area, west of The Acreage and north of White Fences, has a long history of flooding problems. Its roads and swales have deteriorated, and the canals are overgrown to the point that a heavy rain event in the spring of 2018 left some residents up to their waist in stormwater. Still, some property owners have resisted ITID activation, fearful of the assessment increases that likely will be necessary to fund the improvements.

“It’s a complicated part of the world,” Palen said. “Exactly how roads and drainage will be handled is still up in the air… but it is See SANTA ROSA, page 4

PBSO Chief Deputy Signs Off After Five Decades

By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report After close to 50 years with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Chief Deputy Michael Gauger retires this week. The longtime Wellington resident worked his way up through the ranks to a position second only to the sheriff.

A farm boy raised on a dairy farm in Illinois on the Wisconsin border, Gauger has been working hard since he was in second grade. Now he will spend his time working on the community service work he has done for decades, volunteering on committees and

boards that help make the community a safer and better place to live — and perhaps indulge in some travel.

Starting his career only a few years after moving to West Palm Beach in 1969, Gauger first decided he wanted to have a career in law enforcement on Nov. 22, 1963, the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Gauger said that he was a junior in English class when they heard the news. He wanted to be a Secret Service agent, but they required a college degree, which he did not yet have. In his high school year-

book, it states that he wanted to be a criminologist. Today, at 73, of his graduating class of 65 in Illinois, he may be the only one who made good on his dreams.

By 1970, Gauger was a special deputy with the PBSO. “I looked young, so I worked undercover narcotics,” he recalled.

During his career, Gauger worked in almost every department: patrol, tactical, narcotics and then into the detective bureau.

“That was when I retired the first time,” Gauger laughed. “I just can’t stop working.”

It only lasted a year while he

worked for the State Attorney’s Office as an investigator. He was working on reforming the conditions and crime-ridden environment of housing projects and volunteered on cold case files.

“Cases where I had promised the families that I would continue to have oversight,” he said.

Gauger went back to the PBSO when Sheriff Ric Bradshaw was elected, serving at the number two position, then called colonel.

The title was later changed to chief deputy. “The duties were the same,” he said, adding that the See GAUGER, page 7

Chief Deputy Michael Gauger

Page 2

February 12 - February 25, 2021

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NEWS

Elbridge Gale Elementary Mourns Popular Teacher Toni Koy

By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report Everyone seems to have a story about a special teacher who really made a difference in their lives.

For many in the Wellington area, that person was Elbridge Gale Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Toni Koy, who died Jan. 21 at age 64 after a battle with cancer.

A beloved wife to her husband Michael, Koy was both a teacher and a friend to many in the community.

“She was the most amazing individual you might ever hope to meet,” friend Liz Heyman said.

“Truly there was no one more amazing. She had an infectious smile, and any time you saw her, she made the room come alive.”

Heyman knew Koy for many years. “She taught my daughter dance, and I was lucky enough to receive one of her famous cards,” Heyman said. “She was known for making cards for special occasions.”

Originally from Pennsylvania, Koy began teaching in Palm Beach County schools in 1986. In 2005, she was named the county’s teacher of the year. Koy also picked up

several other honors, such as being named a “high impact teacher” and winning a number of grant proposals, such as one entitled “Razzle, Dazzle, Sparkle, Pizzazz.” More importantly, she also earned and maintained the high regard of parents and students throughout the years.

Jennifer Tobin is a teacher at Elbridge Gale who worked on the team with Koy for seven years.

“She was such a lovely person,” Tobin said. “You wouldn’t know that she even knew it was your birthday, and she would give you a heartfelt gift or one of those extravagant cards with the sparkles and jewels. It was such a gift for me to know her — you felt that she really knew you and thought about you.”

Elbridge Gale Principal Gail Pasterczyk hired Koy when she was interviewing with several schools. “Toni Koy taught reading and writing to two groups of fourth graders,” Pasterczyk said.

“But she did so much more than just teach. She grabbed their attention, motivated and engaged the students. She made them into readers and writers.”

They hit it off as friends right away.

“When I first interviewed her, we found out we shared a love for the color purple and the Miami Dolphins,” Pasterczyk said. “I learned later that she chose to go with our school because she felt in her heart that we were family.”

Creative and talented in many disciplines, including drawing, Koy would craft handmade posters promoting good works, create extravagant and intricate greeting cards that were works of art in themselves, and she was the recent author of a children’s book called A Box Of Biscuits. Plus, she would use puppets in class, her favorite being Clyde, who helped children learn writing skills. Her room was decorated like a barn with six-foot horses she had bought or made.

She even had an “outhouse” sign over the restroom.

When she taught poetry, Koy had each of her students prepare their own poem that she would then compile for the class and send off to be made into a book, so each child could know what it would feel like to be a real writer.

Koy was known to send person-

alized, handwritten notes through the mail to each student before tests, offering encouragement. On Valentine’s Day, she made sure every one of her students got little presents.

Koy also had an additional role in the community as the longtime owner of her own Toni Lynn’s Dance Studio, where she taught dance and baton twirling. She also taught students dance and baton at the school.

An animal lover with a menagerie of horses, donkeys, burrows, four or five Great Danes and innumerable adopted animals, Koy was always busy taking care of them at her five-acre property. She was up every day before 5 a.m. to care for them before arriving at school by 6 a.m.

“She drove a Corvette with a silhouette of a horse on it, and she parked in the same spot every day, in the back, far away from other cars. We are going to paint that spot and make it a memorial to her,” Pasterczyk said.

A very private person, when diagnosed with cancer this past summer, Koy kept it secret from students and colleagues and con-

Zoners OK Wellington Green Map Corrections Despite Concerns Over ‘Conservation’ Wording

By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board approved an amendment to the future land use map of Wellington’s comprehensive plan on Wednesday, Feb. 10 to modify the land use designations and a development order covering parcels at the Wellington Green development, including the mall and its many outparcels.

While village staff insists that the items are merely a housekeeping measure, the word “conservation” is being removed from a map illustration, which brought out a number of residents to oppose the item.

Village staff explained that the applicant had noticed an inconsistency in the comp plan map.

The comp plan is the guiding document, and the map depicts what the comp plan explains. For this stated reason, the applicant removed its own applications for changes back in 2019 right before a council meeting that would have

taken up the matter, planning to resubmit them when the inconsistency they discovered was clarified and corrected.

During the ensuing year, Wellington staff met with Jennifer Vale with WGI, agent for the applicant, which is the Wellington Green Master Property Owners Association. They reviewed meeting minutes and documentation and came to the conclusion that the map was illustrated incorrectly.

The ordinance presented with their recommendation for approval is exclusively to correct what could be described as an error that should not have been made.

The map, they said, erroneously shows an area that is wetlands as colored green with the word “conservation” noted on it.

Development Review Coordinator Cory Cramer explained that the ordinance does not give or take away any development rights. “It is just correcting a mistake in the illustration,” she said. “That is all that is being considered tonight.”

Cramer explained that whether or not the applicant or any future owner has designs on seeking changes to the property’s zoning and then developing it is totally irrelevant for the purposes of evidence about the ordinances under consideration.

Dozens of residents and members of environmental organizations made well-reasoned, articulate and heartfelt pleas to keep the map as it is with the “conservation” notation.

Many stated that they did not trust the applicant not to be trying to develop the “green” area.

Several board members told the audience that they appreciated their points of view, but that the ordinance did not change anything but a map error.

The master plan tells what the owner can do on that piece of property, and the map had a mistake on it, Cramer explained.

She continued that this change would make the map correct.

“Only the master plan sets up

the entitlements, and the master plan reads correctly. The map was colored incorrectly. Any limitations that are on the master plan remain in place,” Cramer said.

Village Attorney Laurie Cohen supported staff on the issue. “It is an error because there was no application or direction given to staff to modify the land use for those two parcels in question,” she said.

Cramer explained that the ordinances now go to the Wellington Village Council for the first of two public hearings. It then goes to Tallahassee before it returns for a second and final reading. Public input will be welcome at those meetings.

Cohen explained that the board’s task is to make its decision based solely upon evidence, and that includes staff testimony, documentation and public input, if any of it is deemed evidence and not opinion.

The two motions passed unanimously. The items are scheduled to go before the council on Tuesday, March 9.

tinued to work, never letting on that she was in terrible pain. She worked remotely up to winter break. Teaching was her life, and it gave her a reason to remain positive. The work brought her great joy to be able to be with her students and do what she loved doing.

In addition to helping students and animals, Koy volunteered in the community. Koy organized an annual drive for blankets and towels for Big Dog Ranch Rescue and other local animal rescues.

Pasterczyk said that the school plans to hold a memorial service for Koy once it is safe to do so.

“We are planning to do something special with the school and invite the students and the parents to attend,” she said. “We want to recognize a truly special individual.”

Toni Koy

Loxahatchee Groves Commends Wellington On 25th Anniversary

By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report Representatives from the Town of Loxahatchee Groves visited the Wellington Village Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 9 with a proclamation honoring Wellington on the 25th anniversary of its incorporation.

The proclamation commends the neighboring village on its incorporation of property purchased in 1951 by Charles Oliver Wellington that would become his namesake village. The State of

Florida created the Acme Drainage District in 1953 to improve the drainage in the area, which later became the Acme Improvement District, and the Village of Wellington in 1996 after a referendum in 1995.

The proclamation noted that the Village of Wellington has relied on the leadership of dedicated citizen committees and has developed award-winning parks and recreation facilities and programs. It was built on achieving a balance See ANNIVERSARY, page 8

Loxahatchee Groves Mayor Lisa El-Ramey, Councilwoman Laura Danowski and Councilman Robert Shorr present the proclamation to the Wellington Village Council. PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

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February 12 - February 25, 2021

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NEWS

Dirt Bike, ATV Issue Vexes Loxahatchee Groves Town Council

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office needs a policy to get tougher with packs of dirt-bikers and ATV riders roaming Loxahatchee Groves, especially on the weekends, Mayor Lisa El-Ramey said after the perennial issue came up again at the Tuesday, Feb. 2 meeting of the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council.

The roar of dirt bikes and ATVs often can be heard in many parts of Loxahatchee Groves, according to council members, startling horses and drivers on the town’s narrow and dusty roads, sometimes invading private property, looking for fun but putting themselves and others at risk.

“Unfortunately, it’s a real problem,” El-Ramey said. “We’re seeing a lot more aggressive riders.

On the weekends, it can be very loud.”

El-Ramey would like to see the

issuance of fewer warnings and a lot more actual citations to errant dirt bike and ATV riders, many of whom are not local residents, she said. Plus, more coordination is needed between the town and the PBSO, which provides law enforcement services in the municipality.

Councilwoman Laura Danowski brought up the issue, explaining that she was hearing reports of “aggressive riders” traveling in groups.

Continued development outside of Loxahatchee Groves has limited where ATV and dirk-bikers can ride. “They have no place to ride legally in the area,” Vice Mayor Marge Herzog said.

As commercial and residential development continues, it’s only going to get worse, said PBSO Capt. Craig Turner, who is in charge of policing in the town. He assured the council that the PBSO is doing everything it can to deal

with the problem within the limits of its current resources. However, he added, those resources would be increasing by two refurbished ATVs within the next three to four weeks.

PBSO District 17, which encompasses Loxahatchee Groves, includes approximately 13 square miles and has a direct service population of more than 3,300 residents and is staffed by five road patrol deputies, according to the PBSO web site. In addition, the district receives support from Community Policing, K-9, Aviation and Traffic divisions. But with a stated PBSO policy not to chase ATV and dirt-bikers if they run, enforcement is difficult, Turner said.

El-Ramey said she is not so sure that the enforcement issues are entirely related to resources or manpower. “We’re unique,” she said, noting that the town features everything from small-lot homes to 80-acre parcels and working

farms. “It’s the old square peg, round hole thing. I’m not sure what they’re doing works for us.”

In other business: • Accountant Terry Morton of the firm Nowlen, Holt & Minor PA presented the council with a 90page audit of the town’s fiscal year 2019 books, which had been due June 30, 2020, but was delayed due to COVID-19 and a change in town administrative leadership.

Councilwoman Phillis Maniglia pointedly asked, “Was there any money missing?”

“All the money coming in was accounted for,” Morton replied.

After the meeting, El-Ramey said the only surprise to her in the audit was that “we were better off than we thought we were in 2019.”

Morton also told the council that the audit of the town’s fiscal year 2020 finances was on schedule and that he expected it to be delivered prior to the June 30 deadline.

• Representatives of J&J Farms

came before the council to share that they would be asking for a change that would allow them use of the 11,000-square-foot second floor of the existing building at the northeast corner of Southern Blvd. and F Road for office space. J&J, which has moved its actual farming operations from the Loxahatchee area to Indian River County, plans to relocate its corporate headquarters from 4003 Seminole Pratt Whitney Road to the location on Southern Blvd., allowing some 40 to 50 skilled employees to remain in the area.

Doing so will require changing the usage limitations on the building from strictly medical to medical/ professional, J&J Farms Chief Financial Officer Alex Torres said.

• The council approved a proclamation honoring the Village of Wellington on the 25th anniversary of its incorporation. Members of the Loxahatchee Groves council presented a commemorative

plaque to the Wellington Village Council on Tuesday, Feb. 9.

• During the public comment portion of the meeting, Jo Siciliano expressed concerns about frequent traffic backups on B Road to cross or turn onto Southern Blvd., generated by traffic exiting the Publix shopping center at the northwest corner of the intersection. She said that it was her understanding that at one time a traffic circle was planned for B Road and asked the council to investigate the issue and take whatever necessary steps to improve the traffic flow.

• Town staff reported that it continues to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to recover approximately $300,000 still owed the town in Hurricane Irma disaster relief funds. The town has received approximately $200,000 related to the September 2017 storm.

Multiple administrative changes at FEMA have delayed the payment.

Manure Disposal Deadline Nearing With No Clear Answers

By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report With a looming deadline for changes in manure disposal, Wellington’s Equestrian Preserve Committee came to one solid conclusion after a wide-ranging, two-hour discussion on Wednesday, Feb. 3 — the problem would not be solved that night.

Most of the manure produced within the Equestrian Preserve Area has in recent years been collected and trucked out to U.S. Sugar and some smaller farmland to be spread on fallow land along with nitrogen-free fertilizer. Together they provide some nitrogen that boosts crop yield, increases the sugar content and holds water due to the bedding, which is some 92 percent wood.

A year ago, U.S. Sugar announced that as of Feb. 12, 2021, it would no longer accept manure, and has held to its position despite calls from Wellington staff, Assistant Planning, Zoning & Building Director Mike O’Dell explained.

Committee members expressed a great deal of concern over the situation. “I want to know who is

supposed to talk to U.S. Sugar that hasn’t done the job,” Committee Member Carlos Arellano said.

“It’s sort of astounding that we’re sitting here on Feb. 3 discussing this, when the deadline is Feb. 12,” Committee Chair Jane Cleveland added.

Three members of the manure processing industry were invited to come in and give their insights.

Chip Coulter of HiPoint Agro Bedding told the group about a new process his privately funded organization is pioneering to recycle and sell the bedding and make electricity for Florida Power & Light out of the manure. It is not going to be operational before the Feb. 12 deadline, nor will it handle all of the waste, but it does provide hope for the future.

Also speaking was Justin Hickey of JH Hauling, who has been in the field of manure hauling for three decades, building his private business with no help from the village into one of the industry’s top leaders. The third speaker was Oswaldo De Armas, who manages farmland in the Swannanoa Drainage District.

Committee Member Annabelle Garrett commented that the changing of the water flow in the Everglades has put additional emphasis on environmental situations that scientists believe is created by nitrogen runoff.

Other committee members were not happy that equestrians are being held to account for the issue.

“The argument that has been used in Wellington is that the horses are to blame, but the truth is they can’t pinpoint where it comes from,” Committee Member Haakon Gangnes said.

Hickey said that more distant spreading locations could be available, but they tie up trucks longer because of the distance traveled, necessitating additional equipment to haul the same amount of manure within the same time frame. He said that the cost per load, with the way things are, could nearly double and lead to illegal dumping problems.

Gangnes suggested other organizations change their policies, suggesting a lobbying effort to get U.S. Sugar and the Solid Waste Authority to take more manure.

Cleveland suggested a resolution asking the Wellington Village Council to do something about the looming manure deadline.

Gangnes asked if the village could make grants for the haulers to buy more trucks to use to haul the manure. He also complained to Hickey about other problems he has with the hauling industry.

“If you show up with the truck that already has half a load in it, and you’re charging the people for the load, then you’re ripping off the client,” he said.

Hickey said that is not an issue with his company. “You don’t have that happen with us,” he said.

Gangnes said that retrofitting trucks with gauges to measure loads being picked up is a solution to that problem.

Hickey suggested that is not a solution for the problem at hand but said it might be of interest to other haulers. “They may want to retrofit,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a good idea, but then, hey, I’ve only been doing this 31 years.”

De Armas was also not sure if that was going to work. “Are you talking about putting in electronics

and sophisticated equipment and then driving over all the rough dirt roads these trucks drive on?” he asked.

Cleveland asked everyone to stay on the current topic, which was where to haul manure to.

“I’m not hearing any solutions,” she said.

Gangnes then asked, “What about a transfer station?” to many simultaneous comments from other committee members that such a course of action doesn’t solve anything, and the manure still has to go somewhere.

Hickey said that he would buy land to spread the manure on if he had the down payment.

“Maybe Wellington needs to talk to [Hickey],” Garrett responded. “The last I checked, the equestrians were part of Wellington.”

Gangnes suggested making the upgrades necessary to carry the manure farther away.

“Why don’t they just buy more trailers?” he asked. “I also want to know if they could build ramps on the side of the railroad tracks that they could lift the trucks up then dump them into the rail cars.”

This kind of outside-the-box thinking caused Cleveland to again remark, “We’re getting too far afield. Let’s bring it back to what we’re discussing.”

Gangnes asked what the village plans to do once the manure begins stacking up.

“Why do we have to handle the manure?” he asked. “The village has to make a capital improvement and do something about this. Do you know if Palm Beach [County] would be open to a discussion of providing land to put manure on and solving the problem?”

O’Dell attempted to answer each of the questions but kept being interrupted. “This idea that this is a Wellington problem, I still take issue with,” he said. “We are part of the problem, we are part of the industry, but we are not the entire industry, and this issue is much larger than the Village of Wellington, as we have told you time and time again.”

Cleveland said that the conversation is going to continue in the months ahead. “We have a huge problem and no answers tonight,” she said.

New Acreage Concert Series Continues This Weekend At Park

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report Got plans for a sweet date night to close out St. Valentine’s Day? If not, you may want to cruise with your honey down 140th Avenue North on the evening of Sunday, Feb. 14 to Acreage Community Park and enjoy the Majesty of Rock — a tribute band featuring the music of Toto, Styx and Journey.

The music gets underway at 6:30 p.m., with upcoming concerts featuring different tribute bands generally scheduled the second Sunday of each month.

Concertgoers are urged to practice social distancing, in general, said event producer Davis Clapp,

Lox Seat 3

El-Ramey Vs. Miles

continued from page 1 involving many of the town’s roads. “Public works has not been able to keep up with what I consider essential services,” she said in January. “As far as long-term plans for the roads, I think we’ve got some things in the works that will give us a much better idea of the cost and the ongoing maintenance cost of those issues.”

Town leaders need a broader view of the community’s makeup and future, Miles said. “There certainly are a number of horse people moving in for whatever reason,” she said. “But we also have a lot of retired people here, too. And generational people. The town needs to benefit everyone.”

Allowing some commercial development would benefit average working people who live in Loxahatchee Groves and retirees on fixed incomes by shifting some of the tax burden for road paving and other essential services to businesses that want to operate in the town, Miles said.

a fixture in the South Florida music community and an area resident. Those with more serious concerns can enjoy it all from your vehicle through the loudspeakers or even piped right through your car’s sound system. There also will be a 30-foot-by-50-foot video screen.

“With everyone worried about COVID-19, we want to keep everyone safe and social-distanced, but have a good time,” Clapp explained. “So, we said, ‘Let’s get creative. Let’s make it like a drive-in.’ And that’s what we’ve done.”

Beginning at 2 p.m., local vendors will be on site selling their products along with various food

trucks. There also will be a car show and a kids’ zone. Beer and wine will be available, according to the Majesty of Rock web site.

The concert is the second in the “Rock Your Park” series sponsored by the Acreage Landowners’ Association partnering with Clapp’s production company, FM Generation.

“This is by the community and for the community,” said Clapp, noting that no tax dollars are being used to pay for the concerts.

“It’s all through sponsorships purchased by local businesses and families.”

Sponsorships are $750 and $1,250 and include tented areas and prime seating directly in front

of the stage. Sales of sponsorships have gone well, Clapp said.

Sunday night’s band, Majesty of Rock, is fronted by John D’Agostino, a longtime Florida resident who grew up in New York. He and his four bandmates “not only capture every nuance of Journey in their iconic Steve Perry days, but also the vocal essence of Dennis DeYoung and Tommy Shaw,” according to the group’s web site.

The first concert in the series was held Jan. 10 with the Southern Blood Allstars performing “A Salute to Southern Rock.”

“From the start, I wanted the concerts to be more than your normal tribute band show,” said

Clapp, who grew up in the Seattle music scene before moving to Florida and becoming a professional competition fisherman. “I wanted to tell the story of the bands and music, and do it in a respectful way to those who made the music famous.”

Clapp, the former road manager for one of the industry’s best known Eagles tribute bands, The Long Run, said he’s proud of the concert series he’s producing in The Acreage because it helps musicians hard hit by the virus and fills a niche with the community’s new amphitheater.

“I asked the Acreage Landowners’ Association to please let me work with them to bring music

and events back to the park,” Clapp said.

He then used Facebook to garner community input and “Rock Your Park” grew out of that, he said.

Future concerts include: Classic Rock All-Stars with MGN on March 14; Beer for Your Horses: A Toby Keith Tribute on April 11; Royal Flush featuring 56 Aces on May 9; and H20: The Hall & Oates Project on June 7.

For information about becoming a sponsor of the Rock Your Park series, call Clapp at (561) 324-8384. For information about becoming a vendor at the concerts, contact the ALA at events@ acreagelandowners.com.

“We have to have some development come in,” she said. “But it needs to be strictly controlled by the town.”

El-Ramey said she believes residents “are looking to us to maintain the original vision for the community. They want to be able to get out on their horses, go for bike rides, plant a vegetable patch for food or have a [golf] driving range in their back yard.”

Still, there must be reasonable limits on residential property use and any commercial expansion, said El-Ramey, listing getting code enforcement “back up and running” as one of her goals if re-elected.

“We’re starting to move a little prematurely regarding zoning changes, when we are still really not being effective at controlling some of the nonconforming uses going on around town,” she told the Town-Crier last month for a story on the 2021 council races.

Other front-burner issues for El-Ramey would be: • To keep “the momentum,” as she described it, that has been built for positive improvements in the community and the town administration over the past three years.

• To push for better maintenance of existing roads and to get designs for affordable road improvements.

• Broaden the scope of the town’s drainage plan. “We don’t want to be in trouble with all of the water going into the C-51 Canal,” El-Ramey said. “We need to keep water at the [north] end of town and protect the aquifer.”

• Encourage the town to work more closely on traffic enforcement with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, which provides law enforcement services in the area.

• Expand access and availability to recreational trails without creating an extensive and expensive bridle trail system, such as the one in Wellington.

If elected, Miles said her goals would include: • A “serious overhaul” of the budget. “Some tough stuff needs to be done… and things need to budget the right way,” she said. “We need to look at everything in the budget and see what can be cut.”

• Oppose funding for a recreational trail along Okeechobee Blvd.

• Create better communication between council members and the public, beyond already existing workshops focused on various issues. She proposes the use of town-generated mailings to poll residents on major issues. Council members are “not hearing what all of the residents want because they’re not asking them,” she said earlier this year.

Lisa El-Ramey

Marianne Miles

trict has no role in it,” Palen said.

There have been drainage issues going back 20 years at Santa Rosa Groves, ITID President Betty Argue noted at a meeting in 2019.

“It’s well documented with the county. It’s documented with Indian Trail. There have been discussions and attempts over the years regarding activation, although in

the past, the support wasn’t really there to activate — neither on Indian Trail’s part or Santa Rosa Groves’ part,” she said.

However, Argue noted then that Santa Rosa Groves is within ITID’s legislative boundaries, and “it was always intended that Indian Trail would be the drainage district to provide drainage of the land

within its boundaries.”

After years if not decades wrangling over Santa Rosa Groves being included in ITID for road maintenance and drainage purposes, “we need a forensic process to air all of the grievances and get the facts,” Palen said. “There are 100 landowners out there, each with their own story.”

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NEWS

Over $1 Million Given Away At 2021 Great Charity Challenge

For 46 Palm Beach County charities, the feeling of hope shifted into reality on Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. What is usually the biggest night of the 12-week Winter Equestrian Festival, the Great Charity Challenge, presented

by Fidelity Investments, pivoted to a blend of in-person competition for riders and virtual celebrations for charities and supporters. Those supporters cheered as equestrians and their mounts, representing local nonprofit organizations, competed for a share of more than $1 million in prize money.

Determined to show the power of united communities, the GCC is an exciting show jumping event that combines equestrian sports and philanthropy, bringing hope to Palm Beach County charities every year. Three riders made up each of the 23 pro-am combinations, which are paired with randomly selected Palm Beach County charities. Each team was made up of junior and amateur riders competing side-by-side with top professionals, including Olympians.

In addition to the 23 charities that were part of the GCC competition, an additional 24 nonprofits received funding through grants that were awarded leading up to the event.

“Seeing the level of need in our community and knowing how difficult the past year has been, we quickly realized that we couldn’t turn our backs on our most vulnerable neighbors,” GCC co-founder Mark Bellissimo said.

“We are truly grateful to see that

the community was able to adapt to this format while stepping up to provide crucial funding to local organizations.”

A moment of silence at the beginning of the event paid recognition to all of those lost to the pandemic over the past year.

Following a year of uncertainties and challenges, the GCC featured riders dressed up in costumes and horses adorned to match them, paying recognition to the many heroes who stepped up during the pandemic, as well as those who have inspired people to push beyond their own limits and “dream bigger.”

The winning team of riders — Lindsey Tomeu riding Bonapart, Ashley Vogel on Lucy in the Sky and Shane Sweetnam aboard Heart on Fire — sponsored by team sponsor Spy Coast and Preston, and corporate sponsor Diamante Dressage, came in the ring representing the United States Army as their heroes and finished with a time of 91.664 seconds.

Their strategy and teamwork paid off for their assigned charity, the YWCA of Palm Beach County, earning them the top prize of $100,000. The sliding scale for the balance of the proceeds, down to 22nd place winning a minimum of $15,000, ensured that everyone was a winner.

Team sponsor Spy Coast and Preston has been involved with the Great Charity Challenge since its first year in 2010.

“I’ve been supporting [the GCC] since its inception,” Lisa Lourie of Spy Coast Farm said.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to win

four times thanks to an incredible team. Shane is one of the top Grand Prix riders here at this show, and he still participates every single year. I think he might be passing on the baton next year, but that doesn’t mean we won’t have an incredible team. He trains these kids and brings them along to be like him, so that’s really terrific.”

Lourie was happy to be paired with the YWCA. “We’re very thrilled that we pulled the YWCA, especially thrilled about the causes they’re directing their money toward,” she said. “Both Monica [Preston] and I are all for empowering women, certainly for racial equality and helping children, so we’re thrilled to do it and we’re honored and privileged to be able to do it in this way.”

Shay Spencer, executive director of YWCA of Palm Beach County, was elated by the result.

“We have been live streaming all night, and we are so thankful to the sponsors, the supporters, the riders, everyone who livestreamed, and especially to the GCC for putting this all together. We have been supporters, and it is amazing to now be award recipients,” Spencer said. “We do have some very specific plans for the $100,000. We have an amazing new initiative called the Women’s Health Institute, which helps to target the disparities that women face in the health industry, being both women and women of color.

We have our child development center, which helps to provide free, quality child care for low-income families. We are going to use the funds to continue our mission, to

(L-R) Shane Sweetnam riding Heart on Fire; Lindsey Tomeu aboard Bonapart; and Ashley Vogel on Lucy in the Sky. PHOTOS BY SPORTFOT

Monica Preston of Team Sponsor Spy Coast and Preston; riders Ashley Vogel, Shane Sweetnam and Lindsey Tomeu; Lisa Lourie of Team Sponsor Spy Coast and Preston; and Terri Kane of Corporate PHOTO BY SPORTFOT Sponsor Diamante Dressage at the award ceremony. empower women, to eliminate racism, and to promote peace, freedom and justice for all.”

Sweetnam is glad that the GCC continued, even in the face of the pandemic.

“Every year it’s a great event, and it’s a great cause for the community, especially this year,” he said. “I know it probably wasn’t easy to organize, but these charities need it more than ever this year.

It’s great that we could do our part and have something to cheer for and give back to our community.”

Coming in second place was the team for Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches, sponsored

by Lothlorien Farm and corporate sponsor La Victoria Farm. The team consisted of Edie Wetzel riding Annabelle, Charlotte McLaughlin aboard Elmo and Daniel Coyle on Essedon, who were just a single second shy of the win in 92.869 seconds, earning $90,000 for their charity.

The Center for Family Services of Palm Beach County finished third and won $80,000 with a time of 92.756 seconds. The team was made up of Keira Foster on Ash Ville Rock, Olivia Markman riding Zanta Fee Van T Hofterrijckel and Zayna Rizvi aboard Chaplin W, sponsored by Peacock Ridge and corporate sponsor Rosner’s Appliances.

“Fidelity Investments is committed to making a difference in the communities where we work and live, and we were proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Winter Equestrian Festival and the

12th edition of the Great Charity Challenge. This important event distributed more than $1 million to more than 40 charities in the Palm Beach community, which will help assist populations most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dave Cvercko, regional head of Fidelity’s south-central investor centers.

In the spirit of collaboration during these challenging times, United Way of Palm Beach County joined forces with the Great Charity Challenge, enabling spectators near and far to donate to the event online for the first time.

“While this year’s event looked very different than our usual full stands, our focus remained the same: to ensure that local nonprofit heroes receive a financial ‘leg up’ during these challenging times,” GCC co-founder Paige Bellissimo said. “We are so grateful for the support and generosity of the event sponsors and donors who make this possible.”

With a focus on community impact, the event also teamed up with the Equestrian Cooperative, an initiative founded by Adrienne Sternlicht, Lucy Deslauriers, Paige Bellissimo and Tori Repole, aimed at making social activism and community involvement more accessible to equestrians.

Their first mission: to dissolve the medical debt of about 1,200 people in Palm Beach County. In working with RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit organization that buys medical debt at pennies on the dollar, their $34,000 goal will

eradicate approximately $5 million of debt at approximately $1.50 to the penny.

Grant drawings and special initiatives took place leading up to the event’s 12th edition. Thanks to the annual support of the Ziegler Family Foundation, five nonprofits were surprised with $10,000 grants. Additionally, thanks to the generosity of elected officials and longtime supporters, the following nonprofits were randomly awarded grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000: The Alliance of Women Executives, the Faulk Center for Counseling, the Florence Fuller Child Development Centers, Help Our Wounded Foundation, JDRF, Kayla Cares 4 Kids, the Nicholas and Christen Thompson Foundation, Sea Turtle Adventures, Speak up for Kids and Unified Dream.

“We are truly inspired by seeing key players come together to support change in this community,” Mark Bellissimo said. “There are many charities within Palm Beach County that work tirelessly to do just that. We are grateful to our amazing donors who give them access to additional funding and riders who donate their time to compete on their behalf. They share one common purpose: empowering local nonprofit organizations to do what they do best.”

Over the past 12 years, the GCC has become a highlight of the winter season and has distributed a total of more than $15,928,227.66 to ­­­­276 local nonprofits. More about the competition is available at www.greatcharitychallenge.com.

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Izzy’s Empanadas Features Dozens Of Unique Options At New RPB Location

By Meredith Burow Town-Crier Staff Report Amid the chaos of 2020, a laid back, Caribbean restaurant opened its doors here in the western communities. Izzy’s Empanadas, a family-owned and operated establishment located in the Village Royale (Winn-Dixie) plaza in Royal Palm Beach, strives to provide quality and unique meals to every customer who visits.

Opened in early October, Izzy’s in Royal Palm Beach is the second location for the restaurant. The first was established four years ago in West Palm Beach and has been known to be frequented by locals and out-of-towners alike, perhaps one of the most notable being famed NFL coach Tony Dungy.

The restaurant offers more than 30 different empanada options, ranging from beef to pork to crab to blueberry to peach to chicken and cheese and more.

“We have the best empanadas in town, according to the customers,” said Leon LaBeach, the restaurant’s founder, owner and operator.

LaBeach is a local veteran and father of eight, and he opened the restaurant after a near-death experience that became a catalyst in his drive to pursue his dream.

According to LaBeach, he wanted to be able to look back at the end of his life and see that he had met his entrepreneurial aspirations.

“I decided to just use my own funding and open up these restau-

rants so I could accomplish my goals and my dreams,” LaBeach said. “Part of that was, if they’re successful, then my kids would benefit from it, and they can take it over.”

Most of his children have grown up and have careers of their own, LaBeach explained, but he wants to leave a tangible legacy for his three younger children, Nicholas, Cameron and Isabella (or “Izzy,” the restaurant’s namesake).

“I named it after my daughter,” LaBeach said. “She always wanted to be, in some form or another, in business, even though she’s young, and so I wanted her to get started early.”

LaBeach and his mother, Marjorie Scales — who also works in the restaurant — are from Jamaica, and they honor their birthplace with the classic Jamaican meals on the menu, such as oxtail and jerk chicken. But empanadas are, naturally, the main focus.

“I want the customers to get a new experience,” LaBeach said.

“I want them to have a different option other than burgers and tacos. I want them to get different options to eat.”

LaBeach initially planned to open five Izzy’s Empanadas locations in Palm Beach County. Like many small businesses in recent months, however, Izzy’s took a hard hit during the virus pandemic.

“It has been rough,” LaBeach said. “The landlord has been work-

ing with us… They keep us abreast of all the information that we need to know, and they’ve been great.”

LaBeach also had to put his pursuit of higher education on hold.

“I actually went back to college — full-time college with a restaurant, kids, a full-time job and everything,” LaBeach said.

“COVID-19 hit, and I was three classes away from getting my bachelor’s degree when the college shut down.”

LaBeach also had to think of new cuisines to coax back his clientele.

“When COVID-19 hit, we kind of delved into the Caribbean food in the other location, just to keep our head above water — because empanadas were cheap and didn’t bring in enough money,” LaBeach said. “So, when we came over here, we just brought it over.”

Locals are not complaining.

“Oh man, I’d say if you want to fall in love with this place, order the oxtail or the jerk chicken empanada,” said Jay Howard, a regular.

Howard has indeed fallen in love with Izzy’s Empanadas, but said its draw lies in more than the food.

“It’s the owners — they’re here, they’re present, they greet you with a smile, they greet you with that positive energy,” Howard said.

“It doesn’t matter what type of day you’re having, when you walk in here, it’ll change it for the more positive.”

Howard went on to stress the importance of patronizing local small businesses for this very reason.

“The experience that you get here — it’s not a commercial experience,” Howard said. “It’s something completely original, and if you want places like this to continue to grow in our community, you need to make sure you come out and support.”

Howard said that Izzy’s is the ideal atmosphere for escaping, relaxing and just briefly getting out of the house.

LaBeach is proud of the fact that, regardless of what happens to Izzy’s Empanadas, simply starting and owning his own business is already a dream come true.

“The reward is, whether I succeed or fail, I accomplished that mission,” he said. “I can check that box.”

His advice to others contemplating the next steps in following their dreams?

“I tell everyone, ‘If you never try, you’ve already failed.’” LaBeach said. “So, try. You never know what could happen.”

Izzy’s Empanadas is located at 1155 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach. The restaurant is open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For more information, call (561) 508-2791 or visit www. izzysempanadas.com to check out the extensive menu options.

(Above) Izzy’s Empanadas owner Leon LaBeach at the Royal Palm Beach location. (Below) Izzy’s Empanadas employee and founder’s mother Marjorie Scales with former NFL coach Tony Dungy at the West Palm Beach location.

Workshops Reveal Design Changes To State Road 7 Extension

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Florida Department of Transportation held two virtual workshops on Thursday, Jan. 28 about new design plans for the 8-mile State Road 7 extension from Okeechobee Blvd. to Northlake Blvd. that include steel-beam bridges with no piling supports and rerouted stormwater, sound barriers and four signalized intersections.

FDOT consultant Ross Shillingford said the project will help accommodate increasing growth and travel demands and help with emergency response and evacu-

ation. The proposed route skirts the Pond Cypress Natural Area and the West Palm Beach Water Catchment Area to the east and Royal Palm Beach, Porto Sol, The Acreage and the Ibis Golf & Country Club on the west.

“This project will provide a total of four lanes of traffic with two lanes in each direction, divided by a median,” Shillingford said.

Recent changes to the project include a reduced median north of 60th Street North from 22 feet to 15.5 feet. Sidewalks and on-street bike lanes have been replaced with a shared-use path north of 60th Street. Direct stormwater

outfalls to the Ibis lake system have been eliminated, and retaining walls have been added to reduce the project footprint and further minimize wetland impacts.

The Ibis spillway bridge has been redesigned to eliminate pilings in the water, and an open swale south of the M Canal has been eliminated to reduce the footprint, Shillingford said.

The section from Okeechobee Blvd. to Madrid Street will have 6-foot bike lanes in each direction with concrete sidewalks with a 42foot median with curb and gutter in the median and outsides. The eastto-west section south of the M Ca-

nal from 60th Street North to the M Canal bridge will include a 12-foot shared use path on the south side.

“These differences result from refinements of our earlier design to reduce the project footprint and further minimize environmental impacts,” Shillingford said.

Similar refinements were made to the section north of the Ibis spillway bridge to the Ibis entrance, adding a dry retention swale, a wet conveyance channel and sheet pile on the east side, as well as wetland enhancements and landscaping east of the sheet pile wall. The section from the Ibis entrance to Northlake Blvd. will have a 6-foot

sidewalk on the west side.

The M Canal and Ibis spillway bridges will both feature steel beams with no pilings in the water to enhance wildlife connectivity.

“The drainage system north of the M Canal consists of a dry retention swale and a wet conveyance channel along the east side of the roadway,” Shillingford said, adding that outfall will be to the Palm Beach County-owned Loxahatchee Slough Natural Area north of Northlake Blvd.

Traffic signals and lighting are proposed at the intersections of Porto Sol, Orange Grove and Persimmon boulevards. The round-

about at 60th Street North will be expanded to four lanes with landscaping, and a new roundabout is proposed at the Ibis intersection.

A number of local officials attended the workshops. Attendees included Royal Palm Beach Councilman Jeff Hmara, Palm Beach County commissioners Maria Marino and Gregg Weiss, Indian Trail Improvement Supervisor Joni Martin, ITID President Betty Argue and Wellington Councilman Michael Napoleone.

The project web site at www. sr7extension.com has been updated with the videos from the virtual workshops.

Equestrian Committee Reaffirms Rejection Of Comp Plan Input

By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report At a meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 3, Wellington’s Equestrian Preserve Committee reiterated its objections to part of the village’s ongoing revisions to its comprehensive plan.

For several months, the board has been reviewing parts of the comprehensive plan, which provides the aspirational goals and objectives for the community over the next 10 to 20 years. The plan is currently going through a complete overhaul.

The different parts of the plan

Gauger

Retiring From The PBSO

continued from page 1 administration of the department of corrections was later added to those responsibilities.

Gauger was drafted into the U.S. Army in January 1969. Not knowing he was allergic to some medications, he was given an analgesic to which he had a reaction. “I was put in sick bay, and on the fourth day I was sent for and told, ‘Son, you were inducted by mistake.

Your career in the military is over.

Here is your honorable discharge.’

I wanted to serve, but they said, ‘No,’” Gauger remembered.

When Gauger joined the PBSO, it was a much smaller agency.

“There were around seven or eight patrol officers who worked the east coast on each shift. Now we have more than 2,000 sworn officers. It has been phenomenal, the growth,” he said.

Working under six different sheriffs was a unique position to be in, as upper-level administrators were often replaced by the incoming sheriff. “I survived,” said Gauger, who was unusual in other ways, too.

“I was always kind of a little different because some of the people I worked for, their vision of policing was to get in the police car and drive around, and then they would gauge the amount of work you did by the number of miles on your car. I pretty much stayed in trouble because I was always out of my car making contacts with people,” Gauger said. “Making contacts with business owners, kids in the neighborhoods, building information sources — I call it building a

are going through several rounds of staff input, public input and input from the village’s advisory boards before heading to the Wellington Village Council for final approval.

At issue for the Equestrian Preserve Committee is a standoff between committee members and village staff regarding the use of certain wording. While village staff intended to submit the committee’s advice, it also plans to submit its own.

This became a problem last month, as village staff wants to recommend the use of the word

“exurban” when describing the Equestrian Preserve Area, along with the committee’s recommendation not to use the word “exurban.”

“Exurban” is a planning term that typically refers to an area outside the suburban portion of a metropolitan area, but not quite rural in nature. Staff feels it is an apt way to describe Wellington’s equestrian areas, but several committee members strongly object to the term.

To call attention to its objections, the committee refused to approve its own changes to the

network, and that network served me extremely well. By talking to people, I was able to develop sources of information.”

This led to success in not just documenting crimes but solving them.

“They would tell me who was committing the crimes,” he said.

“When you arrest someone, you don’t just take them down and put them in the jail. You try to develop a relationship with them, build a little trust. I would say probably 90 to 95 percent of the people I arrested, I was friendly with afterward. Now it’s called community policing.”

Later, in the 1980s, when he was in a position of authority, the concept was brought into Palm Beach County. Gauger attended classes on the new protocol, and as it developed, he began to teach it and other courses to police academy students at what today is Palm Beach State College.

After Gauger’s experience overseeing the crime reductions in housing projects, he wrote a grant application for the county and received federal money to help clean up 27 such sites.

The efforts caught the attention of the inspector general of the Department of Housing & Urban Development, who visited the sites as a model of what the PBSO was doing, presenting Gauger and the department with an award.

Earning a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in social work during his career, Gauger also studied the corrections academy curriculum so he would have knowledge and experience of that aspect of his responsibilities. Still, with all those responsibilities, he always scheduled his work around his family, so he was present for them.

Gauger has worked on numer-

ous substance abuse, DUI and mental health initiatives, sitting on and chairing boards of area organizations and institutions.

One man who came into contact with Gauger in a professional capacity during some of the community policing days is Chris Woody.

“I met [Gauger] more than 30 years ago,” Woody said. “I was a person with a drug and alcohol problem, and a problem with going to jail… Now I have 28 years clean and sober.”

He said that Gauger has been very active in the community of people with past substance abuse problems.

“He was a patrol officer, loyal to the sheriff, and he did his job,” Woody said. “He saved my life.

He gave me back me... he is an outstanding man. I have now been a volunteer for 27 years. Now that he is retiring, we are going to lose our North Star, a guiding light that doesn’t move.”

A colleague who goes way back with Gauger is Joe Speicher, CEO of the South County Mental Health Center.

“His retirement means we are losing a very big advocate. He has helped coordination with our department and the PBSO. It is not contentious, and there is a lot of respect for the clients,” Speicher said.

Gauger has a degree in social work when many others in his position might have criminal justice degrees.

“He knows social work,” Speicher said, adding that Gauger has been a great resource for years and that he solves issues and has set up meetings with judges and representatives to help them understand the position of mental health clients. “Mike takes care.

The relationship is much better, and the crisis unit is top-notch.”

plan at its January meeting, and reaffirmed that decision at the Feb. 3 meeting.

Committee Member Haakon Gangnes complained that there was not an accompanying letter or document that went with the minutes from the previous meeting explaining why they failed to approve their comments on the comp plan.

“Our recommendations will be buried in 800 pages and never get read by the council,” worried Committee Member Annabelle Garrett, justifying the action.

“If you’re not going to do what

Virus

Vaccine Backlog Concerns

continued from page 1 three main areas of concern — the cases per day, the daily positivity rate and the total positivity rate.

The new cases per day in Palm Beach County averages 597.

The daily positivity average is currently 7.79 percent, which is higher than the Department of Health would like to see, but better than it was. Alonso hopes that it drops closer to the 5 percent target soon. The total positivity rate of all individuals tested continues to be very high at 15.71 percent.

Alonso then shifted to the vaccine rollout, noting that Palm Beach County is still in Phase 1, which is in place while the vaccines remain in limited supply.

As of Monday, Feb. 8, 134,970 county residents have received the first dose of a vaccine, and an additional 55,800 people have received both doses.

“Based on the 2019 [census] data, Palm Beach County with this 190,770 people who have been vaccinated, we are at 13 percent of our total population — higher than Florida (9 percent), higher than Broward (8 percent) and higher than Miami-Dade (7 percent),” Alonso said. “To me, this is a great accomplishment.”

The second portion of the presentation was provided by Blakeney.

“Our overall positivity rate continues to increase, an increasing trend since mid-October 2020,” Blakeney said. “The trend this week, compared to last week, has flattened a bit. On average, about 22 percent of ICU beds county-

we say, why are we here?” Committee Member Carlos Arellano asked.

Committee Chair Jane Cleveland also pointed out that the committee had, at the meeting last month, decided to reverse its position on the widening of some roads to four lanes.

The original change had been in response to previously requested input from horse show venue operators. The operators requested that the village make the transportation to and from events more efficient to compete with other markets. But at the

January meeting, after hearing public input that road widening could bring cut-through traffic, the committee reversed itself on the issue.

The committee decided to take the action of attending the upcoming Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board meeting, which reviews the comp plan changes next, and then also attend the upcoming Wellington Village Council meeting to make sure their voices are heard regarding use of the word “exurban” and the recommendation not to widen the roads.

wide are currently occupied by COVID-19 patients.”

More than 730,000 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Palm Beach County, which amounts to nearly half the total population.

“On a positive note, daily lab positivity rates have decreased four weeks in a row. Our hospitalization and ICU rates are decreasing, and our med-alerts have decreased,” Blakeney said.

“Another sign of hope is that we have vaccinated more than 190,000 people. We have been number two in the state for shots in the arms and are close to being number one. We have vaccinated more than 156,000 seniors in our community.”

Commissioner Melissa McKinlay asked for a more specific breakdown of the vaccine data.

“If we can figure out how many people have been vaccinated in our county, why haven’t we been able to get that data by zip code?” she asked.

Alonso responded she did not have access to that data, or else it would have been provided from day one. She has requested that information several times without result and suggested that the request be made to the Department of Emergency Management at the state level.

“Every county is looking for that,” she added.

McKinlay also asked for clarification on whether county residents who have received vaccines actually received their shots within Palm Beach County. Alonso explained that vaccines are recorded by residence, so there is not information on whether the vaccines were obtained in another county, or even outside Florida.

“This county was a bit slow to start, so I would have to guess that

a number of our residents were doing those max vaccine sites,” McKinlay said.

Alonso agreed to this theory, adding that some residents had received a second dose of the vaccine before Palm Beach County even obtained enough of the vaccine to get started. Most of those cases, however, were healthcare workers, she said.

McKinlay also shared information about concerned phone calls from residents who are worried about being redirected to the South Florida Fairgrounds for their second shot.

“They are scheduled to open.

We’ve got the vaccine, so it’s all a go,” Alonso said. “Every appointment has been redirected to the fairgrounds. They will be able to get their second dose. There’s no shortage of second doses.”

There continues to be a supply and demand issue, but Alonso made several points very clear: there is not a shortage of doses for individuals requiring the second shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, vaccinated individuals are not being counted twice, and while the state’s vaccine web site is available to county residents, the backlog is substantial, and residents should not expect an appointment for about two months.

Unless specifically contacted and told to go to the fairgrounds, individuals who received their first vaccine shot should return to the original site for the second dose.

For those uncomfortable using the online service, the state’s phone number to be placed on the wait list for a vaccine is (866) 201-6754.

The county’s number for questions and assistance regarding COVID-19 vaccines is (561) 625-5180. Learn more at https:// discover.pbcgov.org/coronavirus.

Page 8

February 12 - February 25, 2021

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NEWS

Schofield

A Fond Farewell

continued from page 1 positive attitude. All remarked how they were grateful for his leadership and friendship.

“When I first got elected and met with you, you said, ‘You got elected. Now what are you going to do?’” recalled State Rep. Matt Willhite, who served two terms on the Wellington council before making the jump to Tallahassee.

“We’ve worked very well together,” said Willhite, thanking his entire family for sacrificing a lot to allow Schofield to be of service to the community.

Former County Commissioner Jess Santamaria also had high praise for Schofield.

“I have had the good fortune of knowing Paul for some 40 years, but more important, we have been friends during these 40 years.

Paul, refresh my memory. I think we were both teenagers when we met,” he added to laughter.

Comparing the village to a great ship, Santamaria said that he would choose Schofield as the one with a capable, steady hand to handle the helm.

“What have I learned in those 40 years about this friend of the community is that one of Paul’s best assets is leading with a steady hand and his calm demeanor under pressure at all times,” Santamaria said.

Gerwig, who really did first meet Schofield when she was barely out of her teens while working as an intern at an engineering firm, said that she didn’t think anyone in the room would be nearly as successful without Schofield’s good advice.

“Dealing with five leaders is difficult,” she said. “It’s like herding

Anniversary

Groves Visit

continued from page 3 between economic growth and remaining true to its family-oriented values.

Renowned for its top-rated education system, premier parks and recreation programs, the proclamation further noted that Wellington is listed among the top 100 places to live in the U.S., and the village provides exemplary public services that contribute to an outstanding quality of life to

cats. You have laid the foundation for having great people here.”

She recounted a story about how children set the reality of a situation, remarking that she once ran into Schofield’s son and grandchild at lunch. When the little one asked who the person was and was told, “That’s grandpa’s boss,” the mouth of the babe immediately responded, “No, grandpa is the boss.”

Former Mayor Tom Wenham also has known Schofield for some four decades. Wenham said that Schofield, Barnes and he all worked for Palm Beach County back then. “You are the best thing that could have happened to this community,” Wenham said.

Vice Mayor Tanya Siskind recalled Schofield from her days as an education activist.

“During my PTA days, we called you whenever we needed help with [projects]. Knowing that you were the one at the helm of the village gave everybody peace of mind,” she said, adding that Schofield has always had the best interest of Wellington in mind, for now and in the future.

Councilman John McGovern thanked Schofield for his decades of getting results for the residents of Wellington.

“Thank you for making us better people, better leaders and for making this a better community for everyone… while staying the same,” he said. “We truly are a better community for the fact that you put us on such a sound footing.”

Councilman Michael Drahos said that he committed to a second council term because Schofield would also be there.

“You were great at helping me through the challenges,” he said. “It’s one thing to say that you enjoy working with someone and a whole other to say that you respect them.” the area known as the “Winter Equestrian Capital of the World” for the diverse equestrian disciplines it hosts.

“Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Town of Loxahatchee Groves, Florida, that it commends the Village of Wellington for the 25th year of incorporation as the Village of Wellington,” read the proclamation, which was presented by Loxahatchee Groves Mayor Lisa El-Ramey, Councilwoman Laura Danowski and Councilman Robert Shorr to the Wellington Village Council.

Councilman Michael Napoleone said that he always does much better with sarcasm than with sentiment.

“I was trying to figure out why you chose now to retire, and I realized that if you retire during a pandemic, nobody can hug you. But as much as we can’t touch you, your fingerprints are on everything,” Napoleone said. “Everything that’s

done in this village has been done under your leadership. You have done more than steering the ship, you had to design the ship, build the ship and you had to do it under budget the whole time.”

Barnes listed facts and figures showing the success that occurred during Schofield’s helmsmanship.

He said that there was one good thing and one bad thing about

Newly retired Village Manager Paul Schofield gathers with his family to receive proclamations in his honor.

Karen Schofield gets flowers from Mayor Anne Gerwig.

Paul Schofield with his new fishing rod.

Former Councilman John Greene, former Mayor Tom Wenham, former Village Manager Paul Schofield, Village Attorney Laurie Cohen, State Rep. Matt Willhite and Village Manager Jim Barnes.

taking the position of village manager after Schofield. “He has big feet, and that means he has big shoes to fill,” Barnes said.

“But I’m lucky that he has big shoulders to stand on as we move forward.”

When Schofield had his turn, he was as eloquent as he has always been at council meetings. He explained that it takes a great council

to make a good manager able to do successful things. Saying that he appreciated all the nice things that everyone said, he recited some statistics on the successful growth of Wellington. Schofield then remarked on the things he won’t miss, such as “coming in at 6 a.m. every morning or the 60-hour weeks — but I’m going to miss all the people.”

Former Mayor Tom Wenham addresses Paul Schofield, thanking him for his many years of service to the community.

Tony Nelson and Paul Schofield.

Jess Santamaria discusses his friendship with Schofield.

Councilman John McGovern, Councilman Michael Drahos, former Village Manager Paul Schofield, Mayor Anne Gerwig, Vice Mayor Tanya Siskind, Councilman Michael Napoleone and Village Manager Jim Barnes.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

YOUR FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

We are here to serve YOU. Let us help you navigate Florida State Agencies, Departments and more.

REPRESENTATIVE

Matt Willhite

FLORIDA HOUSE DISTRICT 86

Call (561) 791-4071 or

Matt.Willhite@myfloridahouse.gov District Office

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400 House Office Building 402 South Monroe St.,Tallahassee, FL 32399 (850) 717-5086

Welcome to Starr Family Dentistry in Wellington

PUBLIC NOTICE The Village of Royal Palm Beach will have several volunteer board/commission terms expiring in March. If you are a resident of the Village and would like to be considered by the Village Council to serve on either board/commission, please stop by the Village Clerk’s office to pick up an application or download it from our web site www.royalpalmbeach.com. Under Departments go to the Village Clerk section and then click on downloadable forms to Board and Commission Application Form. Return completed application to the Village Clerk’s office no later than March 24, 2021 for Council consideration at its April 1st meeting. It is important to note the particular day of the week the board/commission meets to ensure that your schedule will be such that you are available on that particular day.

Seats available are: (3) on Education Advisory Board meets on the 2nd Monday of the month (2) on Planning and Zoning Commission meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month (6) on Recreation Advisory Board meets on the 4th Monday of the month If further information is desired, please call the Village Clerk at 790-5102.

Diane DiSanto, MMC, Village Clerk

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1200 Corporate Center Way, Suite 103 | Wellington, Florida 33414

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T

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WE S

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N ACAD R E

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EST. 2003

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February 12 - February 25, 2021

Page 9

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BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER

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Serving Gourmet Breakfast, Lunch & Overstuffed Deli Sandwiches

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WINNERS

February 12 - February 25, 2021 Page 11

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Valid towards dinner and dine in orders only.

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Open Tues. - Sat. 10am-7pm, Sun. 11am - 4pm 12 7 9 4 F o r e s t H i l l B l v d | S u i t e 2 0 | W e l l i n g t o n | F l o r i d a 3 3 414 www.rajawellingtonfl.com | 561.371.6560 | rajawellingtonfl@gmail.com

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Mon-Fri: 8:00 am To 6:00 pm Sat: 9:00 am To 3:00 pm • Sun: Closed

BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER

Page 10 February 12 - February 25, 2021

The Town-Crier

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Serving Gourmet Breakfast, Lunch & Overstuffed Deli Sandwiches

Hilary’s restaurant In the Royal Plaza at Corner of Southern & Royal Palm Beach Blvd.

The Town-Crier

www.gotowncrier.com

WINNERS

February 12 - February 25, 2021 Page 11

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

in the

Annual National Buffalo Wings Competition

LUNCH 11 - 3 PM | DINNER 4 - 1O PM DINE IN | TAKE OUT | FREE DELIVERY

in Buffalo, NY.

FOR YOUR SAFETY WE FOLLOW ALL CDC GUIDELINES

Online Ordering Available

EXCITING NEW ITEMS!

Order Online

OPEN FOR

BREAKFAST & LUNCH DINE-IN & TAKE-OUT

CURBSIDE TAKE-OUT AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

We Practice CDC Safety Guidelines and Sanitation Procedures.

BEST OVERSTUFFED CORNED BEEF OR PASTRAMI SANDWICH IN THE WEST!

HOURS: 7:00 A.M. - 3 P.M. | 7 DAYS A WEEK

561-790-7301

Located in the ROYAL PLAZA

Royal Palm Beach Blvd., Corner of Southern & Royal Palm Beach Blvd.

WWW.INDIAGRILLANDBAR.COM

Tree’s Wings & Ribs

OR CALL 561-249-7168

Daily Specials

603 Royal Palm Beach Blvd.

Royal Palm Beach, FL. 33411

Free V.I.P. Program

561-791-1535

Spin the PRIZE WHEEL at every visit!

Home of the BEST Wings & Ribs. EVER

Come In and Join Us 50% capacity inside dining room with social distancing Outside seating allowed with social distancing

INDIA GRILL CASH

Employees wear face mask or covering and abide by social distancing rules while working.

Valid towards dinner and dine in orders only.

Not valid for holidays & special events.

Clip coupon and present to your server. Expires 2/28/21

Hand sanitzing stations. Sealed silverware.

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

Dine-In Take-Out Delivery

LUNCH 11 AM - 3 PM | DINNER 4 PM - 10 PM

HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS 4 - 6 PM

INDIA GRILL & BAR | 650 ROYAL PALM BEACH BLVD | ROYAL PALM BEACH

(561) 249-7168 | WWW.INDIAGRILLANDBAR.COM

www.TreesWingsAndRibs.com

Order Online WWW.INDIAGRILLANDBAR.COM or Find Us On:

In the Royal Plaza at Corner of Southern & Royal Palm Beach Blvd.

NOW OPEN!

We are COVID-19 conscious business.

We do require face-mask, have proper distancing and disinfect all surfaces.

Authentic Indian Kitchen Bar menu . kids' menu . A la carte menu . Party menu

Tuesday – Sunday

Located in the “ORIGINAL” Wellington Mall Ramp at the end of the parking lot

DINE-IN | PATIO BAR & LOUNGE Full Service

In the Royal Plaza at Corner of Southern & Royal Palm Beach Blvd.

SERVING THE BEST PARRILLA ARGENTINA IN PALM BEACH COUNTY SINCE 2007

LUNCH | DINNER

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CATERING • TAKE OUT • SPECIALTY CAKES • GROCERY

OPENING HOURS:

11am-3pm | 5pm-10pm

Monday – Thursday 6:30 am – 8:00 pm  Friday – Saturday 6:30 am – 9:00 pm  Sunday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

**RAJA FREE DELIVERY** CALL 561.371.6560

TAKE-OUT

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561-318-6307

ALL CDC SAFETY GUIDELINES ARE FOLLOWED. PRIVATE ROOM . PARTY ROOM . CONFERENCE ROOM . OUTDOOR PARTY LOUNGE

CALL 561.371.6560

Catering Available

ALL CDC SAFTEY MEASURES ARE USED TO PROTECT OUR DINERS

Authentic Philipino foods including appetizers, soups and entrees with favorites such as Sinigang, Tinolang, Nilaga na, Crispy Pata, Leston Kawali, Binagoongan, Empanadas, Smoked Fried Bangus, Pompano, and more...

Specialty cakes made to order

In the Original Wellington Mall Next to Nut N’ Fits, & your Local Post Office

Catering party packages available - call for details.

Open Tues. - Sat. 10am-7pm, Sun. 11am - 4pm 12 7 9 4 F o r e s t H i l l B l v d | S u i t e 2 0 | W e l l i n g t o n | F l o r i d a 3 3 414 www.rajawellingtonfl.com | 561.371.6560 | rajawellingtonfl@gmail.com

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561-904-6826

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Follow Us:

12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., 5B, Wellington We Also Cater Events HOURS:

Mon-Fri: 8:00 am To 6:00 pm Sat: 9:00 am To 3:00 pm • Sun: Closed

Page 12

February 12 - February 25, 2021

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COVID-19 and Heart Inflammation: What You Should Know Myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, is a rare disease that has taken on new prominence as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a growing body of research, many coronavirus survivors experience some form of heart damage. While nearly a quarter of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have cardiovascular complications, individuals with mild to moderate symptoms are also at risk of cardiac injury from the virus.

Myocarditis is most often the result of an infectious process, like influenza or COVID-19. Inflammation can enlarge and weaken the heart and create scar tissue in later stages. This forces the heart to work harder to circulate blood and oxygen throughout the body.

“What’s particularly worrisome is that a rise in myocarditis cases may lead to more patients experiencing heart failure and heart rhythm problems,” explains Jaime Hernandez-Montfort, MD, an advanced heart disease and transplant cardiologist with Cleveland Clinic Florida’s Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute in Weston.

Who’s at Risk?

Myocarditis can affect anyone, no matter their age. However, individuals who are young, healthy, and athletic are most often affected. That’s why interscholastic, intercollegiate, and professional athletic programs are required to adhere to strict protocols before allowing an athlete to return to play after a coronavirus infection. But recreational athletes and exercise enthusiasts are also at risk for complications and should take note.

Warning Flags Those recovering from COVID-19 should watch for potential signs of a weakened heart: • Shortness of breath • Heart palpitations • Chest pain • Dizziness • Lightheadedness • Loss of consciousness

benefit from temporary heart support devices with a rare few requiring heart transplant or a durable heart pump.

“Later stage signs of heart damage include swelling of the legs and ankles, difficulty sleeping at a flat angle, and difficulty breathing when tying your shoes,” says Dr. Hernandez-Montfort.

Get Help Jaime Hernandez-Montfort, MD Make sure to schedule a heart health checkup with a cardiovascular specialist before starting or resuming an exercise routine Marcelo Helguera, MD following a coronavirus infection. In addition to identifying risk factors for cardiovascular disease, it will provide the ability to screen for myocarditis and other heart and vascular illnesses associated with COVID-19.

Diagnosis & Treatment Diagnosing myocarditis usually entails a series of tests: • Electrocardiogram (EKG) • Chest x-ray • Echocardiogram • Blood testing for heart injury biomarkers • C-MRI • Endomyocardial biopsy “A multimodality approach may be needed to rule out other causes of heart disease,” adds Marcelo Helguera, MD, a cardiovascular medicine specialist who sees patients at Cleveland Clinic Florida’s Wellington and Palm Beach locations. “In severe cases, the gold standard is a biopsy of the heart muscle.”

Myocarditis is typically treated with medications to help recover heart function.

Antiviral and anti-inflammatory therapies may be used, as well as immunosuppression therapy, in certain patients. Patients with the most severe cardiac damage may

To make an appointment with a Cleveland Clinic cardiovascular specialist, please call 877.463.2010 or visit www.clevelandclinicflorida.org/heart.

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Page 13

NEWS

REUNION HELD AT OLD LOXAHATCHEE SCHOOLHOUSE DURING THE MINI FAIR

Former students gathered at the Old Loxahatchee Schoolhouse in Yesteryear Village on Tuesday, Jan. 26 during the South Florida Mini Fair to talk over old times and remember departed students. Among the former students honored was the late Ronald Dale Jarriel, a longtime Loxahatchee Groves community leader who died last year.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Johnny, Sherry, Jerry, Sharon, Ken, Bo, Rose and Bob Jarriel with photos of the late Ronald Dale Jarriel.

Former students gather at the schoolhouse.

Terry Harms and Brenda Harms Kilgore with photos of the late Becky Harms Suarez.

Former students gather on the steps of the Old Loxahatchee Schoolhouse.

Sandra Rich quizzes Curt Rich on math problems.

Attendees reminisce at the reunion.

Survey: Half Of Americans With Concerning Heart Symptoms Avoid Seeking Care During Pandemic

A Cleveland Clinic survey has found that just 52 percent of Americans reached out to a doctor or sought medical care after experiencing a concerning health issue during the COVID-19 pandemic. When it comes to patients with heart disease, that number increased to 63 percent.

According to the survey, many turned to the internet or friends for informal medical guidance, instead of a healthcare provider, even though 32 percent of Americans — and 53 percent of heart disease patients — reported feeling at least one troubling symptom during the pandemic like increased blood pressure, dizziness, shortness of breath or increased blood sugar.

The survey also found that concerns over contracting the virus are preventing people — especially heart disease patients — from

seeing the doctor. Around 85 percent of Americans say they are concerned about contracting COVID-19 when seeking treatment for health issues at a doctor’s office. Another alarming finding: one in three heart disease patients have put off taking their heart medications during COVID-19.

“Heart disease continues to be an important heath problem for many Americans during the pandemic,” said Dr. Nazar Sharak, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic’s Indian River Medical Center.

“We are concerned that people may be avoiding treatment, which could lead to advanced disease. We encourage everyone to continue with regular screening and to see their cardiologist if they have symptoms or concerns.”

The most common appointments being put off include dental

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screenings, physicals, and blood pressure and cholesterol checks.

Weight gain and stress also rose to the top of the survey as a result of the pandemic, as 42 percent of Americans and 47 percent of heart disease patients have gained weight during the pandemic.

Among Americans who gained weight, 25 percent gained more than 20 pounds. Three-quarters (76 percent) of Americans report feeling more stressed because of COVID-19, yet only about half (55 percent) know that stress can have a big impact on heart health.

Additional survey findings show that many Americans have misconceptions about how COVID-19 impacts heart health.

For example, 61 percent of Americans are unaware that heart disease puts you more at risk for contracting a severe case of COVID-19,

and 69 percent are unaware that hypertension adds increased risk as well. Also, 33 percent of Americans incorrectly believe you’re only at risk of long-term heart health effects from COVID-19 if you already have a pre-existing heart condition, and 25 percent incorrectly believe COVID-19 only affects your lungs, not your heart.

Not all of the survey results were negative. Some Americans have adopted new healthy habits during COVID-19, including taking vitamins or supplements (35 percent), exercising more (32 percent) and eating a healthier diet (30 percent).

The survey was conducted as part of the Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute’s “Love Your Heart” campaign in celebration of American Heart Month. For more info., visit www. clevelandclinic.org/loveyourheart.

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Advancements in veterinary medicine have translated into more treatment options for a variety of animal injuries and illnesses. The downside is that these options can be financially prohibitive for many pet owners. If your pet requires expensive care that you cannot afford, ask your vet about a payment plan so you can avoid paying it all up front. Contact your local shelter to inquire about veterinary assistance programs. If you have a specific breed, contact its National Club to ask about veterinary financial assistance. Because treatments are expensive, the best approach is to practice preventive care. Have your pet spayed or neutered, keep vaccinations up to date, and keep pets safely confined or leashed to prevent accidents and illnesses.

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location honored National Wear Red Day on Friday, Feb. 5.

Coming up, Orangetheory Fitness Royal Palm Beach is hosting a CPR certification class for members on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 12:30 p.m. for a $30 fee.

Finally, the Orangetheory Fitness Royal Palm Beach location is having a 90-minute donation class Sunday, Feb. 21 at 7 a.m. with a $25 donation, and all proceeds going to the AHA. You can also check out the brand’s social channels for Heart Health facts, education and stories highlighted throughout the month.

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Physical activity is one of the most beneficial ways to prevent cardiovascular disease, so this month, Orangetheory Fitness is teaming up with the American Heart Association for the third year in a row to spread awareness of Heart Health Month.

In support of the AHA’s Life is Why campaign, Orangetheory is encouraging members to take part in the Orangetheory Hearts Fitness campaign by participating in several special events.

A brand new Under the Orange Lights episode with AHA Chief Medical Prevention Officer Dr. Eduardo Sanchez debuted on Feb. 2. Under the Orange Lights is available on the Orangetheory Fitness YouTube channel.

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Page 14

February 12 - February 25, 2021

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NEWS

Retiring Assistant Principal Larry Matz Leaves His Mark At Polo Park

By Isabella Ryan Polo Park Student Journalist For many, success is determined based on wealth or achievements.

But for someone like Larry Matz, his success and happiness came from making an impact on the kids at Polo Park Middle School.

Matz has been an educator since he was 21 years old, getting involved in a wide variety of subjects, from religious education to math and engineering. Most recently, he worked as an assistant principal at Polo Park Middle School in Wellington for 17 years, before retiring last month.

“I’m going to miss the kids,” Matz said while recalling his favorite parts of the job. “I’ll really miss the whole thing.”

He went on to describe how he loved every aspect of the job, from the stressful planning that came with new school years to the conversations he had with students each day.

Fellow Polo Park Assistant Principal Fallon Kauker admired how much Matz loved his job. “He took a lot of pride in his work, and he always wanted to do what was best for the school and the students,” Kauker said.

Matz said that his top priority while being an assistant principal was to make every decision with the intent of helping his students.

“You want the kids to realize that you’re on their side, you want the very best for them,” he said.

“Whatever goals they have, we want kids to be successful, and we want them to become whatever person they want to be. That’s our goal, that was my goal.”

As an assistant principal, Matz had many responsibilities. “You’re planning, preparing. You’re studying, you’re learning. You’re always trying to be better at what you’re doing,” he said.

Some of his specific duties at Polo Park included coordinating

testing and working with custodians to keep the school clean, along with taking care of discipline.

“You’re figuring out ways to make your school better,” Matz added.

One of those ways has become one of the most important features at Polo Park.

“Something I enjoyed most was creating the pre-engineering program,” he said. “At the time, our numbers were going down...

By developing the pre-engineering program and getting the ‘Project Lead The Way’ program at Polo Park, we were able to provide an opportunity for our science department to have electives that they enjoy teaching. It was a win-winwin for everybody. The science teachers got to teach something they always wanted to teach, the students got to take classes that were exciting and fun, the school got to grow and expand — it was a very positive experience.”

Annual Barry Crown Walk For The Animals Goes Virtual

The Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League’s 20th annual Barry Crown Walk for the Animals is going virtual this year and will host a special celebration on social media on Saturday, Feb. 20.

Although the walk is virtual, participants will still fundraise and celebrate their furry best friends. Peggy Adams encourages all of those in the community to sign up and arrange a walk, either solo, with your pets or with some friends (safely and socially distanced) at a place and time convenient to you. Fundraising will remain open through March 6.

“For the first time in the history of our 20-year walk, we are going virtual,” said Rich Anderson, executive director/CEO of the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League. “We wish that we could celebrate this milestone event in person. However, we ask that everyone who wants to help the homeless pets in our care participate in this event and raise funds to help us save these abandoned and injured animals in need.”

All proceeds benefit the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League. The 20th annual Barry Crown Walk for the Animals is presented by MetLife Pet Insurance. Partners include KAST Construction, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Napleton’s on Northlake Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, 1-800-PetMeds, BRK Republic, Garden of Life, NCCI, Nozzle Nolen Pest Solutions, Scenthound, and Hubbard Radio stations 97.7 WRMF, X102.3, New Country 103.1, Sunny 107.9, Party 96.3, FOX Sports 640AM and 850 WFTL. KAST Construction is sponsoring this year’s walk with a $15,000 matching grant.

To learn more about the 20th annual Barry Crown Walk for the Animals, and/or sponsorship opportunities, call (561) 530-6057 or visit www. walkwithpeggy.org.

Sally Chase with an adoptable dog.

Matz chose to retire at an unusual point in the year, but his responsibilities outside of the school had a major impact on his decision.

“I have a mom and a dad, 82 and 84 [years old]. It looked like it was the best time, for me and my family to look at retiring to take care of them,” he said.

Besides taking care of his parents, Matz realized there’s a lot he wants to do with the rest of his family.

“There’s places all over the world where I’ve been, and I want to take my family to go see some of those places,” he said. “It is a lot of fun to share some of those experiences.”

His other plans post-retirement include a variety of goals, such as

getting his pilot’s license, raising cows in his home state of Oklahoma, writing a book and starting a business.

And if he gets bored, there’s always another plan in place.

“I have a lot of things [to do] while I’m retired, none of which are engaged in going back to work.

But I might end up doing that, too!

You just never know,” he said.

Even though Matz worked at Polo Park for many years, for him, his final day was one of the most memorable.

“That last day that I was there was absolutely amazing,” he said.

“I didn’t realize the impacts of the things that I had done. Seeing how people appreciated what I had been a part of, the last day will be a memory for me for the rest

of my life. It was a really, really special day.”

Matz clearly knows the importance of opening yourself up to new opportunities and possibilities, and he shared this piece of advice.

“As a young person, don’t limit yourself. You just never know what you can do; you can do anything. Like I said, I’ve done many things with my life, and I’ve been all over the world. I could have never planned as a teenager that was going to happen,” Matz said.

Even as he departs the world of education, Matz is still trying to make an impact on his students.

As he rides off into retirement, he can now take a deep breath and realize, simply, it was a job well done.

SRHS SGA Wins Record Number Of Awards At 2021 District Rally

The Seminole Ridge High School Student Government Association attended the Florida Association of Student Councils District 5 Rally recently, hosted virtually by Boca Raton High School, and they took home quite a few honors.

For projects, the SGA won third place in Citizenship Development and Scrapbook and second place in Membership Motivation and the Technology Project. Those projects were headed up by seniors Kyla Campbell, Ashlyn Hirsch and Erica Ward respectively.

The SGA won first place in “Hall of Ideas,” a 3-D representation of the year’s projects, and for their School Service, Fundraising and School Spirit projects.

Those projects were led by Ashlyn Hirsch, Kyla Campbell and Riley Vento.

SGA President Sophia Caprio won first place overall in the speech contest, and SGA advisor Melissa Long was named FASC District 5 Advisor of the Year.

The nine student trophies were both a record for the Seminole Ridge SGA and the top showing from the schools at the 2021 District 5 Rally.

(Above right) SGA students celebrate their success. (Below right) SGA advisor Melissa Long was named FASC District 5 Advisor of the Year.

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February 12 - February 25, 2021

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NEWS

Boys & Girls Club Annual Wellington Golf Classic A Success

Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County’s 39th annual Wellington Golf Classic was a success, despite changes due to COVID-19.

The event held on Friday, Jan. 29 at the Wellington National Golf Club was filled with excitement as guests gathered to benefit the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club of Wellington.

This year’s golf tournament included perfect weather and more

than 40 golfers who took to the course for a day of fun in support of local children. The tournament kicked off at noon with a shotgun start, including an auction and awards celebration to follow.

“Even in these unique times, and despite a postponement of a few months, I am happy to say that our 39th annual Wellington Golf Classic was a tremendous success,” Wellington Board Chair

Louis Eisenberg said. “The funds raised from this event will go a long way in helping the members of the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club of Wellington.”

The first-place foursome and reigning champions of the Wellington Golf Classic are Elliot Bonner, Nick Rose, Brad Shofstall and Rick Bielen. Closest-to-thepin winner is Craig Morris.

The Wellington Golf Classic

was supported by the Chandler Construction Company, the Connor Financial Group, Elliot Bonner, the Desich Family, Ernst & Young LLC, Ford’s Garage, Ghering Insurance, Illustrated Properties-Nicolette Goldfarb, Lesser Lesser Landy & Smith, Sassafras Lange and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Committee members included Elliot Bonner, Louis Eisenberg, John Hornberger, Ray Mooney,

Mickey Smith, Craig Morris and Max Westerman.

“A big thank you to our host, the Wellington National Golf Club, our sponsors, our players and, of course, our staff and volunteers,” Eisenberg said. “Without these people, this event would not have been possible. Before we know it, our 40th annual Golf Classic will be here. Once again, it will be hosted by the Wellington National

Golf Club on Nov. 5, 2021. We look forward to continued support from our sponsors and players to help our club members become productive, caring and responsible citizens.”

For more information, contact Christine Martin at (561) 683-3287 or cmartin@bgcpbc.org. For details about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, visit www. bgcpbc.org.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Executive Assistant Lisa Marchitto, Club Director Kenda Peterson, Development Director Elena Corsano and Development Manager Leila Villa.

Jill and Jeff Tompkins won a money shirt in a ticket auction.

Heidi Lange with Sassafras.

Closest-to-the-Pin winner Craig Morris with Christine Martin.

B&G Club board members Ray Mooney, Mickey Smith, Craig Morris, Louis Eisenberg and Elliot Bonner.

Ticket auction winner Mike Carmell with Lisa Marchitto.

Development Director Christine Martin with Wellington Board Chair Louis Eisenberg.

Mickey Smith, Tom Carreras, Mark Elie and Mark Candreva.

Longest Drive winner Dr. Shane Zack with Lisa Marchitto.

Craig Parker, John Pavela, Mark Davis and Andre Loehrer of sponsor BMO Harris Bank.

First-place winners Rick Bielan, Nick Rose, Elliot Bonner and Brad Shofstall.

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Page 17

A Naturally Occurring Retirement Community

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Page 18

February 12 - February 25, 2021

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POLO & EQUESTRIAN

Beverly Polo Caps Off 18-Goal Debut With Ylvisaker Cup Triumph

Coming up just shy of the trophy in the Joe Barry Memorial Cup final, Beverly Polo shook off the loss and regrouped for the Ylvisaker Cup with an unexpected change to their roster.

Finding themselves in the mini semifinal fighting to stay in the tournament, Beverly Polo — Bill Ballhaus, Jorge “Tolito” Ocampo Fernandez Jr., Hilario Figueras and Peke Gonzalez — performed at the top of their game, once again earning a finalist position opposite Palm Beach Equine — Costi Caset, Robi Bilbao, Gringo Colombres and Scott Swerdlin.

Played on Sunday, Feb. 7, on the U.S. Polo Assn. Field 1 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, the Ylvisaker Cup final was a fast-paced offensive battle waged beneath overcast skies, this time featuring Joaquin Panelo as a substitute for Gonzalez. Leading throughout the game with unstoppable determination, Beverly Polo claimed the title 1511 just before a sudden downpour.

“To play at this level it takes tremendous focus, organization and discipline. You can’t just show up and decide that you want to play in 18-goal tournaments,” team owner Bill Ballhaus said. “This is something that we’ve been preparing to do for years and just systematically building our strings, ourselves as players, the team, and the way we play together.”

Starting off with a two-goal advantage on handicap, the 16-goal Beverly Polo team was prepared to challenge their strong opponents for the fourth time this season.

Leaving the ball and taking out

Figueras, Colombres set up Caset to score the first of many goals in an attempt to catch up with Beverly Polo. Briefly overtaking the lead in the second chukker, Caset powered through the field to add consecutive goals to the tally, but Panelo’s accurate shooting rapidly restored the difference.

Set up near goal by a long hit from his teammate, Ocampo Jr. scored a pair of goals and Beverly Polo remained on top 6-5 heading into the third. “We gave everything, and we fought for every single goal,” Ocampo Jr. said. “There wasn’t a chukker that we lost because each player gave everything for the team.”

Demonstrating their skill from the penalty line, both teams took turns capitalizing on crucial opportunities in the third chukker.

Figueras and Caset both picked up a Penalty 2 and 3. Winning yet another throw-in and charging to goal on Best Playing Pony One Juliana, Ocampo Jr. helped to extend Beverly Polo’s advantage to 10-7 at halftime.

Building on their momentum in the second half, Beverly Polo continued to focus on the target, shutting down all opportunities for Palm Beach Equine to score in the fourth chukker. Delivering on another Penalty 3, Figueras was followed up by an impressive run and goal from Panelo, who stayed just out of Bilbao’s reach.

Retaliating in the fifth and eager to get back on the board, Caset’s offensive drive kept Palm Beach Equine in the game. Guarding the ball away from Ocampo Jr., Caset chipped away at the deficit

with two quick goals, but Beverly Polo held firm at 12-9 moving into the final chukker. Perfect from the penalty line this tournament, Figueras traded goals with Colombres as the minutes rapidly ran out for Palm Beach Equine to mount a comeback. Scoring the final goal for Beverly Polo and landing all team members on the scoreboard, Ballhaus knocked in a tailshot to seal the long-awaited victory 15-11.

Playing for the first time in the 18-goal season, Beverly Polo’s accomplishment is even more impressive as the only 16-goal team in the tournament.

“This is the biggest tournament that we’ve won at Beverly Polo, and it was an amazing way for us to cap off our first 18-goal season,” Ballhaus said. “This is something that we’ve been building toward for several years now.”

A victory years in the making, Beverly Polo has put in the work over time and gradually looked to raise their level of play in the high-goal scene.

“Hilario [Figueras], Tolito [Fernandez Ocampo Jr.] and myself have been playing together in 8-goal polo with my son and playing 12-goal polo in Wellington for years,” Ballhaus continued. “This year, we wanted to step up to the 18-goal level and put together a team that we were hoping would be competitive. As time went on, and we started refining our system, we found ourselves playing better and being more competitive.”

Although having to adapt to a changing roster, Beverly Polo found the changes to be smoother

Jorge “Tolito” Fernandez Ocampo Jr. rides across the field on Best Playing Pony One Juliana.

2021 Ylvisaker Cup champions Beverly Polo, including players Joaquin Panelo, Bill Ballhaus, Lucas Diaz Alberdi, Tolito Ocampo Fernandez Jr. and Hilario Figueras. PHOTOS BY DAVID LOMINSKA than anticipated. “We decided to bring in Joaquin [Panelo] only two days ago,” Ocampo Jr. said.

“He had an advantage because he had played Lucas [Diaz Alberdi]’s horses already in New York.

Then we had a team meeting and watched our games when we played against Palm Beach Equine and Tamera, and Joaquin sorted it out really quickly.”

Responsible for five of Beverly Polo’s total goals, Figueras was named Most Valuable Player.

“This is the first time we’ve won on the U.S. Polo Assn. Field 1, so it’s incredible,” Figueras said. “All of our horses are in good shape

and they played really well today.

I think playing one more game definitely helped us because we were sharp.”

Best Playing Pony honors were awarded to six-year-old dark chestnut mare One Juliana. Owned

by Ocampo Jr., One Juliana was played as a spare for two minutes in the second, third, fourth and sixth chukkers.

“One Juliana is a horse that I got from my father-in-law,” Ocampo Jr. said. “One Juliana is a big, strong horse. She can run and she never gets tired. She’s a big horse, but you feel that you’re playing with a 51 mallet.”

Ballhaus received the Sportsmanship Award.

“It has been fun to see how we’ve refined our system over time,” Ballhaus said. “This was a tricky tournament because we had to integrate multiple players, but we stayed committed to our system and way of playing. We’re just focused on progressing, and we’ll use what we’ve learned to prepare ourselves for next year and the years to come.”

The Gauntlet of Polo season is now getting underway at the International Polo Club Palm Beach.

Visit www.internationalpoloclub. com to learn more.

Hilario Figueras leads the field against Palm Beach Equine in the 2021 Ylvisaker Cup final.

FEBRUARY IS AMERICAN HEART MONTH

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STROKE: PREVENTION, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OPTIONS Tuesday, February 16 • 12pm - 1pm Presenter: Mary Varghese, RN, Stroke Coordinator Virtual Zoom Lecture, link will be sent 24 hours in advance  To register: DelrayMedicalCtr.com/events

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Tuesday, February 23 • 12pm - 1pm Presenter: Dora Jean-Charles, MSN, RN Administrative Director Cardiac Cath Lab, IR & Valve Clinic Virtual Zoom Lecture, link will be sent 24 hours in advance  To register: DelrayMedicalCtr.com/events ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSMS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Thursday, February 25 • 3pm - 4pm Presenter: Joseph J. Ricotta MD, MS, DFSVS, FACS National Medical Director, Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy Tenet Healthcare  Join us at: facebook.com/DelrayMedicalCenter

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SPORTS NEWS, PAGES 21-23 • PEOPLE & SCHOOLS, PAGES 24-25 • BUSINESS NEWS, PAGE 27 • COLUMNS, PAGE 28 • CLASSIFIEDS, PAGES 29-30

SPORTS & RECREATION

PBCHS Girls Lacrosse Team Focused On Achieving Greatness

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report The Palm Beach Central High School girls lacrosse team is motivated and determined to win this year. With a squad of 22 players, which includes 12 seniors, Palm Beach Central’s head coach Travis Abel is optimistic that this season will be the best one in the history of the PBCHS girls lacrosse program.

“Coming into this season, the coaches and the players all have experience in how practices are run and experience in big games,” Abel said. “This group of ladies has had to deal with a pretty big learning curve, since 90 percent of my roster had zero experience before starting to play at the JV level. When we started the process with these girls from day one, I gave them a famous Michael

Jordan quote: ‘Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.’

This group has gone through that process, wants to learn and get better, and has accepted the grind.

They also had a taste of success when we lost a few close games our first two years. Now, coming into this season, they are ready to make things happen.”

According to Abel, his squad has experience in all the key positions, beginning with his starting goalie, senior Mia Caro. He is expecting a great season from his top defender.

“Mia is the quarterback of the defense,” Abel said. “She’s a good communicator. She’s like having a defensive coach on the field, and she makes all the saves.”

Other key players on the squad include junior midfielder Sophia

Scichilone, senior defender Talia Pondiscio, senior attack Morgan Rault and junior attack Sabrina Levine.

According to Abel, Scichilone leads by example at practice and during games.

“She is a great leader,” Abel said. “Through her hard work in the off season and with her travel team, she is ready to put up big numbers this season. She sets the tempo for our offense.”

Pondiscio is one of the stalwarts of Palm Beach Central’s team this spring.

“Tal has been a captain for three years and a natural leader for this team,” Abel said. “Both her and Mia Caro lead our defense with outstanding communication and Tal’s great athleticism.”

Rault and Levine are Palm Beach Central’s own dynamic duo.

“This tag team of attack players has really started to form chemistry with each other and are looking to shine with our new look offense,” Abel added.

Two of the rising underclassmen who Abel expects big contributions from this year are Chiara Scichilone, Sophia’s younger sister, and Faith O’Neill.

“They are two of our younger players who are making a ton of noise this preseason,” Abel said.

“Both have the stick skills and lacrosse IQ that this program hasn’t seen before in our underclassmen.

They both will be getting a ton of minutes on the midfield.”

After graduation, Caro will be headed to George Washington University to be a goalie for the Colonials, continuing her career as a student-athlete.

“Mia is the biggest collegiate

commit in the history of our program,” Abel said.

With the help of assistant coaches Brian Cook and Mike Skonieczki, Abel is looking forward to the start of the season, which kicks off on Monday, Feb. 15 when the Broncos host local rival Seminole Ridge High School. In the third game of the season, Palm Beach Central hosts Wellington High School for the annual playing of the Welly Cup, a game that Abel said his squad is determined to win. That encounter with Wellington is circled on his calendar.

“We’ve never defeated Wellington High School in girls lacrosse,” said Abel, who is determined that history will not repeat itself on Friday, Feb. 19.

Rault realizes that the team needs to show progress in every

practice and every game in order to reach its potential. “I just want to keep getting better,” she said.

That thought is emphasized by Abel at practice. “We’ve got to get better every day,” he emphasized.

In today’s COVID-19 times, the key to the success of the varsity lacrosse team will be to remain healthy. Abel has been straightforward and blunt in his daily messages to his team, as a positive virus diagnosis on the team could seriously derail the season.

“We must take care of our bodies,” Abel said. “We must take care of business in the classroom, on the practice field, and off campus.”

If Palm Beach Central takes care of business on and off the lacrosse field, this team has a great chance of achieving greatness, but it will take a motivated and determined effort to get it done.

Head coach Travis Abel discusses the importance of stick control during his team’s lacrosse practice at Palm Beach Central High School.

Palm Beach Central High School girls lacrosse assistant coach Brian Cook shares his tactical thoughts with the squad during a recent practice.

PHOTOS BY MIKE MAY/TOWN-CRIER

Royal Palm Beach Softball Squad Heads Back To Basics In 2021

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report The upcoming season for the Royal Palm Beach High School girls softball team will be a year of renewal and rebuilding, rather than reloading. According to head coach Dave Hir, last year’s team was stacked with talent, but this year’s team is not quite as deep and skilled as in past years.

“Last year, we started out 10-1, and we had eight seniors on the team,” Hir recalled. “And then COVID-19 hit, which halted our season. We had a good chance to win regionals and advance to the state tournament.”

But that was then, and this is now for the Wildcats.

Hir and his assistant coaches Chris Lincoln and Kristina Hayslip are committed to getting this year’s team into game-ready shape by opening day.

The backbone of this year’s squad is a group of four players, all of whom want to continue playing softball at the collegiate level.

Hir and assistant coach Cassandra Morgan are focused on improving the softball skills of returning players while developing the skill set of the younger members of the team.

Those four experienced players are Kiera “Kiki” Mainolfi, Jamie Marcus, Adriana Hemmings and Brooke Edgar.

Mainolfi is a junior first baseman who has started for the Wild-

cats since her freshman year.

“Kiki, who will hit third in the lineup, is a teacher of the game who will take young players under her wing and help them improve,” Hir said. “She knows my system like the back of her hand and will share that philosophy with our younger players. Kiki is a very smart player and a good base runner.”

Marcus, a junior, will bat leadoff and will play in centerfield. In essence, she will be the captain of the outfield.

“Jamie throws and bats lefthanded,” Hir said. “On defense, she has a cannon of an arm, and on offense, she will steal lots of bases.

She’s very sharp and very fast.”

Marcus was Royal Palm Beach’s rookie of the year as a freshman.

Hemmings is a sophomore and returns as the team’s starting shortstop. As a freshman last year, she was named the team’s rookie of the year.

Hir is delighted to have Hemmings on the team as the shortstop since she’s such a multi-talented player.

“She’s fast, can play good defense, and can also hit for power,” he said. “While batting, she is not just a hitter. She plays offense and will take what the defense gives her. At the plate, if the corners are playing back at first and third, she can lay down a bunt to get on base.

Then, she can steal two bases and

Adriana Hemmings will be the starting shortstop and the team’s main relief pitcher. turn a bunt into a triple.”

Edgar, a sophomore, is a new addition to the team, but she is an experienced player.

“Brooke lives in Royal Palm Beach and attended the Oxbridge Academy last year,” Hir said. “She has come home to Royal Palm Beach.”

According to Hir, Edgar will

Pitcher Kelsey McCabe will be the starter for the Wildcats.

split time between playing catcher and third base. “Brooke is a power hitter, and we’re ecstatic about her becoming a Wildcat,” Hir said.

In addition to a lack of experience at the other positions, Hir noted that he doesn’t have the depth at pitching like he has had in previous years, so that will put more pressure on the defense to

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“Despite the fact we don’t have a great deal of experience, we are still going to play a very competitive schedule,” Hir said. “We are in the midst of being as competitive as we can be while giving my top four players top-level pitching and competition, which will help them land a college scholarship.”

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As of right now, Hir plans to have junior Kelsey McCabe as his starting pitcher. Hemmings will be standing by as her main reliever.

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February 12 - February 25, 2021

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Page 23

SPORTS & RECREATION

New All-Girls Flag Football League Starting At The WCFL

The Western Communities Football League is launching an all-girls flag football league.

Girls flag football is growing across the nation, and WCFL is adding girls flag football for the first time this season. Even the NFL and Nike are partnering to help push girls flag football. The season officially kicks off with the first practices on March 8.

The combine will be on Feb. 27.

The all-girls league will have two divisions, ages 12-13 and ages 14-17. Registration is open now.

“The community asked for this, and we responded,” WCFL President KC Jones said. “We are

excited to add the all-girls flag football league to our longstanding football league here in Wellington.

Every year, we have more girls sign up for our co-ed flag football, and now there is demand for an all-girls league.

Girls will still be able to sign up for the co-ed league, but now they will also have the opportunity to play in an all-girls league.

The league plays football at Wellington’s Village Park at 11700 Pierson Road. The league has been the provider of recreational youth football for the village for more than 25 years. In addition to the new all-girls flag football

The Western Communities Football League is now offering an all-girls flag football program.

league, WCFL operates a co-ed flag football league for ages 5 to 16. In the fall, the WCFL also operates its youth tackle football league.

“Flag football is a great way for the kids to get outside and get some exercise,” WCFL Vice President Marc Basis said. “We believe football helps our youth learn discipline, teamwork, integrity and much more. Our coaches will have practices once a week, and most games are on Saturday. During this uncertain time of COVID-19, WCFL follows Village of Wellington and youth sports protocols for the safety of everyone involved. WCFL takes safety seriously and does all it can do to make our league as safe as we can for players, coaches and parents.”

The WCFL is a nonprofit organization made up of volunteer board members dedicated to promoting and providing youth flag football and tackle football.

The league is looking for coaches for all divisions, as well as volunteers to help operate the league on game days. Register for flag football and find the latest news and league information at www.wcflfootball.com. For more info., e-mail the league at eboard@ wcflfootball.com.

TWO SRHS STUDENTS SIGN TO PLAY AT KAISER UNIVERSITY

Two Seminole Ridge High School students signed letters of intent on National Signing Day to continue their careers at the collegiate level. Flag football player Haylie Young (below left), the school’s quarterback, signed with Kaiser University. She led the Hawks to an unbeaten record before the season ended early in 2020 and was a member of the state runner-up team as a freshman in 2018.

Yosbany Gonzalez (below right), defensive tackle with the boys varsity football team, also signed with Kaiser University. He was an ESPN Top 63 preseason and played in the Palm Beach County All-Star Game. He was also named to first team all-county.

Jonathan Joseph Joins 1,000-Point Club At TKA

The King’s Academy boys basketball program has experienced a resurgence during the past 18 months. Wins have piled up, and the Lions are 34-12 during that span, including a 17-2 record this season.

A big part of the resurgence has been senior guard, Jonathan “JJ” Joseph. The 6-foot-1 point guard has been the focal point of the offense. He recently joined the 1,000-point club at TKA. “I am very proud of JJ. He made King’s his home very fast. I wasn’t too worried about the basketball part, but you really want your players to thrive academically and socially, too,” coach Murray Smith said. “JJ has done exactly that. He’s taken advantage of every opportunity that a place like King’s can provide.”

Joseph averaged 17 points per

game in his junior season and picked up right where he left off, averaging nearly 19 points this season. He made his presence felt in the 2020 district playoffs with a 30-point performance in a doubleovertime win over the Benjamin School. He has produced several more 30-point performances this season.

“It’s a satisfying feeling to watch a student-athlete embrace their school and their school embrace their student-athlete,” Director of Athletics Dr. Chris Hobbs said. “That is exactly what has happened for JJ. I think he’s really proud to be a Lion, and we are really proud that he is one of us.”

Joseph joins a resurgence of 1,000-point scorers at TKA. Calvin Johnson eclipsed the mark in 2018, and Madison Lee did the same in 2020.

Jonathan Joseph with his family and his coach.

Royal Palm Bassmasters Fish Out Of Clewiston Boat Ramp

The Royal Palm Bassmasters held its monthly fishing tournament on Jan. 17 on Lake Okeechobee out of the Clewiston boat ramp.

First place was won by Russ Clothier and Phil Northrop with five fish weighing 15.62 pounds.

Second place was awarded to the team of Mike O’Connor and Bill Latham with five fish weighing 15.56 pounds. The team of Taylor Renney and Joe Stowell took third place with five fish weighing 10.89 pounds. The big fish of the

tournament was 5.50 pounds, caught by Shannon Ghetti and Rick Rickenbach.

The Royal Palm Bassmasters meet on the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center, located at 100 Sweet Bay Lane. The club is now accepting applications for new teams.

For more information, e-mail rpbassmasters@gmail.com, visit the group’s Facebook page @ Royal Palm Bassmasters or call (561) 644-6269.

Shannon Ghetti

Phil Northrop and Russ Clothier

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Dr. Parrilla-Rosario Dr. Parrilla-Rosario received his medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus in 2014. He then did postgraduate training at Mount Sinai BI Hospital in New York as well as Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, he is also an active member of American Medical Marijuana Physicians Association.

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February 12 - February 25, 2021

Todd Dahlstrom New Board Chair At Young Friends Of The Palm Beach Symphony

Wellington resident Todd Dahlstrom, PNC Wealth Management vice president and senior business development officer for South Florida, has been named board chair of Young Friends of the Palm Beach Symphony, a group consisting of active professionals in their 20s, 30s and 40s who have an appreciation for classical music and a commitment to supporting the symphony’s vital education and outreach programs. PNC Wealth Management is a corporate sponsor of the symphony.

“Todd will be a tremendous asset to the Palm Beach Symphony and the impact we make in the community,” Palm Beach Symphony CEO David McClymont said. “His knowledge and skill in guiding teams to create financial plans that deliver successful outcomes will take Young Friends of the Palm Beach Symphony to the next level.”

Dahlstrom looks forward to his work supporting the symphony.

“While the pandemic is curtailing many of the traditional Young Friends events, it has brought our mission into clear focus,” Dahlstrom said. “The Palm Beach Symphony pivoted to reach more than 8,000 students last season, including a 42 percent increase in hours of music instruction, even when in-school instruction was no longer possible. Its many outreach programs offer multiple creative opportunities for the Young Friends to become engaged and positively influence the community.”

Music education and an involvement in the arts have always been passions for Dahlstrom, who enjoys music with his family. He has recorded songs co-written with his wife, Julie, and their five children are following the tradition.

The family has joined others in the community during the pandemic and recorded a song for the symphony’s web site.

He and his family live in Wellington and they are all musical.

Todd Dahlstrom Ellen is a junior at the A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts and an oboist with the band and orchestra there. Claire is a 16-year-old vocalist and veteran of local theater productions, and Joseph, 14, plays the French horn, while Henry, 10, and William, 7, enjoy music and are exploring their musical interests.

Dahlstrom also sits on the symphony’s development committee and chairs the Swings for Strings Golf Tournament for the symphony. He is also a member of the Palm Beach Hedge Fund Association.

Dahlstrom earned a master’s degree in finance from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree in English from North Park University in Chicago.

Membership in the Young Friends of the Palm Beach Symphony is open throughout the year, and more information is available on the “Support” tab at www. palmbeachsymphony.org.

The Palm Beach Symphony is South Florida’s premier orchestra known for its diverse repertoire and commitment to community.

Founded in 1974, this nonprofit arts organization adheres to a mission of engaging, educating and entertaining the greater community of the Palm Beaches through live performances of inspiring orchestral music.

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PALMS WEST PEOPLE

World Famous Polo Players Will Participate In Great Futures Polo Day

Some of the world’s most famous and popular polo players will participate in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County’s 2021 Great Futures Polo Day on Sunday, March 14 at the Grand Champions Polo Club, located at 13444 Southfields Road in Wellington.

The Celebrity Polo Charity Cup will feature Ralph Lauren’s “Face of Polo” Nacho Figueras, as well as other polo greats such as Nic Roldan.

“The Celebrity Polo Cup unites the community each year in support of local children, who need us now more than ever,” event cochair Melissa Ganzi said. “Bringing the community together in support of local children is what this event is all about. The Celebrity Polo Cup is what makes that possible.”

This year’s event, hosted by Marc and Melissa Ganzi, will kick off at 10 a.m., followed by a private polo brunch served fieldside. The event includes an auction starting at noon. Guests will also

Milo McDonough and Nic Roldan.

Nacho Figueras and Neil S. Hirsch.

PHOTOS BY POLO PAPARAZZI/SHERYEL ASCHFORT

be able to enjoy the World Polo League’s Palm Beach Open featured game of the week.

Tickets for the brunch and afternoon game are $1,000 per person and can be purchased at www. bgcpbc.org or by calling (561) 683-3281.

Proceeds from the Great Futures Polo Day event will benefit the Neil S. Hirsh Family Boys & Girls Club of Wellington, one of 17 Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County.

The club provides services for non-school hours and summer

camp opportunities to nearly 1,200 boys and girls from ages 6 to 18.

For more information about the event, and sponsorship opportunities, contact Elena Corsano at (561) 683-3287 or ecorsano@ bgcpbc.org.

Local Celebration Honors India’s Republic Day

Kashmir Solidarity USA and the Indian American Festival Committee (IAFC) recently celebrated India’s Republic Day with an event in Greenacres. Republic Day is celebrated every Jan. 26 to honor the day when India officially adopted its constitution.

Due to the pandemic, invitations were limited. Face masks and social distancing were observed in accordance with CDC guidelines.

Sandy Mistry, cultural coordinator for the IAFC, welcomed the guests and thanked Greenacres Mayor Joel Flores for his proclamation, which proclaimed Jan. 26, 2021 as Republic Day. “I do hereby congratulate Suridner K. Zutshi, founder and president of Kashmir Solidarity USA, and the Indian American Festival Committee for working hard toward achieving the goal of bringing harmony and peace among the Indian and American community,” Flores wrote in the proclamation.

Zutshi has long worked toward promoting Indo-U.S. relations as a commissioner of human rights in Hudson County, New Jersey, and was elected chairman of human

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rights. He was also appointed an honorary special deputy of the Hudson County sheriff.

Zutshi welcomed all the guests and thanked Austin Lee of the mayor’s office for his efforts in making the occasion a great success.

“India is the world’s largest democracy and shares with the United States the system in which the supreme power to govern is invested in the people,” Zutshi said. “Let us salute the nation on this Republic Day... God bless India and America, the two largest democracies in the world.”

Zutshi also read a letter he previously wrote, congratulating President Joe Biden on his election victory.

“We hope that the new administration will work hand-in-glove with India and build upon the present friendship between the two major democratic nations of the world,” Zutshi said. “Kashmir Solidarity USA looks forward to an alliance and great cooperation between the Biden presidency and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”

Event attendees with the proclamation from Greenacres Mayor Joel Flores.

Sanjay Aurora, an executive member of Kashmir Solidarity USA, also spoke about the importance of Republic Day. “72 years ago, India at the time created a constitution, and as a result, the caste system was almost abolished,” Aurora said.

“In other words, the constitution was designed where it would

give opportunity to everybody regardless of color, creed, race and religion. India currently has more than 26 official languages and 10,000 unofficial languages, so for a population of 1.1 billion people, a constitution being created of that magnitude was history in itself, and that’s why we celebrate this day.”

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BRONCO CULINARY DEPARTMENT UP AND RUNNING AGAIN

The Broncos Café held a grand re-opening last week to rave reviews from faculty and staff. Palm Beach Central High School culinary students served dine-in and take-out meals for the first time in a year. Chef Jeremy Crumb announced that the café will serve lunches for the school staff regularly in the near future.

Principal Darren Edgecomb congratulated Crumb and the culinary students at the re-opening event.

GOLDEN GROVE STUDENTS CREATE CARE PACKAGES

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February 12 - February 25, 2021

SCHOOL NEWS

Justin Arnone Wins First-Ever Assistant Principal Of The Year Award

Palm Beach Central High School Assistant Principal Justin Arnone was selected as the Palm Beach County School District’s first-ever Assistant Principal of the Year in a ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 28. Arnone will now represent the school district at the state’s Assistant Principal of the Year recognition program.

Arnone has been an assistant principal at Palm Beach Central High since 2017. He also serves as the student activities administrator and graduation coordinator, English language arts (ELA)

School counselor Lisa Hutchins with Crestwood Middle School Principal Stephanie Nance.

School Counselor Honor For Lisa Hutchins Of Crestwood Middle

Crestwood Middle School’s Lisa Hutchins was recently honored as the 2021 Middle School Counselor of the Year.

Hutchins received a business administration degree from the University of Florida. Ten years later, she wanted to make a difference in the lives of children and pursued a master’s of education degree in mental health counseling.

Hutchins then worked as a therapist specializing in the treatment

Page 25

department administrator, as well as the administrator for performing and fine arts, testing, Cambridge/ AICE and educational technology.

“This award is not about me,” Arnone said. “It’s about teams.

It’s about our stakeholders coming together in a time of need and giving our kids what they need to be successful. And not just in the face of a global pandemic, but every single day.”

The Palm Beach Central High School faculty, students and parents congratulate Arnone for this well-deserved recognition.

of children who were victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse.

She later transferred these skills and completed an educational specialist degree in school counseling.

She has been a school counselor for nine years and absolutely loves her job.

“At Crestwood, the counseling team helps and supports all students, no matter what,” Hutchins said. “We specialize in helping kids.”

WES STUDENT’S ARTWORK HONORED Golden Grove Elementary School fourth-grade teachers Shari Greensword and Stephanie Adams recently began a new schoolwide initiative. Through SEL morning meetings, teachers began a focus on setting goals and being kind. Their classes decided to create homeless care packages as a kindness goal. While sharing New Year goals, Greensword revealed that it was her resolution to create homeless care packages in order to make a difference in someone’s life. The students were excited about this goal and decided to help out as well. Adams and Greensword shared the goal with the entire school, making this a schoolwide initiative to spread kindness in these difficult times. School staff volunteered to distribute the packages to those in need.

Wellington Elementary School art teacher Erica Bordonaro is very proud of third-grader Jackson Kaye. His artwork titled “Still Life with Flowers” was chosen to hang in the office of State Rep. Matt Willhite.

Bordonaro had submitted the piece back in December when the district was putting on a virtual art show. The piece will hang in Willhite’s office until the end of the school year. The school congratulates Jackson Kaye, who is shown here with his framed artwork.

Assistant Principal Justin Arnone with his award.

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February 12 - February 25, 2021

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February 12 - February 25, 2021

Page 27

BUSINESS NEWS

C U At X Tack Adds To Its Selection Of European Dressage Products The sisterly duo behind the tack shop C U at X Tack have added yet another elite name to their impressive array of European tack brands.

Shop owners and siblings Sarah and Katie Hoog have recently agreed to become an exclusive retailer in North America for JUDI, an elite tack line based out of Holland.

C U at X Tack offers a full range of JUDI tack and accessories, including bridles, browbands, stock ties, ear bonnets, belts and dog collars, to name a few.

Known in the dressage world for stunning Swarovski crystal-encrusted browbands, which have adorned many of the world’s top dressage horses, the line has

recently expanded its offering to include complete bridles.

“It truly is the crème de la crème of bridles,” Sarah Hoog explained.

“So often you’ll invest in an expensive crystal-encrusted piece, and a short time later the stones fall out and you’ve wasted your money. But the quality of JUDI materials is truly unmatched. They use only the best Swarovski crystals, Swarovski fabric and Passier leather. They use a unique method of embedding the crystals so that they will never come loose.”

When selecting new lines to add to their shop’s premium range of inventory, superior quality materials and craftsmanship are the key criteria.

“It has to be something that we would want for ourselves,” Katie Hoog said. “For us to want to carry it, and bring it to our customers, it truly has to be functional, unique and top quality. We will not sell anything that we haven’t tested and worked with in the trade. I’ve had my JUDI browband many years, and it still looks brand new.”

Quality isn’t the only way JUDI products will help C U at X Tack’s customers and their horses stand out from the crowd. While customers will have the chance to see, feel and touch samples from the JUDI line at each of C U at X Tack’s shop locations, all orders placed from the line can also be completely custom and bespoke.

out as a small pop-up tent at a horse show and has quickly grown into a successful, multi-location operation.

In addition to the shop’s main locations in Wellington, C U at X Tack is also available for mobile pop-up appearances at horse shows and farm events across Florida and Georgia. Customers can purchase items from the JUDI line at C U at X Tack’s web site, or by appointment at their Wellington location and at the 2021 Adequan Global Dressage Festival.

For more information about C U at X Tack, and to see the finest European dressage tack and apparel at affordable prices, visit www. cuatxtack.com.

A sample of the JUDI line featuring Swarovski crystals.

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Kickback Wellington To Host Grand Opening Feb. 18-21

The community is invited to attend the grand opening of the new Kickback Neighborhood Tavern in Wellington, being held the weekend of Feb. 18-21.

The event will feature a Big Dog Ranch Rescue adopt-a-rescue fundraiser on Thursday, Feb. 18, a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on Saturday, Feb. 20, and an outdoor BBQ smoker and Mathews Brewery beer tent on Saturday, Feb. 20.

Live music will be offered by the Leafy Greens on Thursday, Feb. 18, Bryan Smith of Girlfriend Material on Friday, Feb. 19 and Vic Bottrill on Saturday, Feb. 20. There will also be food and drink specials and giveaways all weekend.

Kickback Neighborhood Tavern is located at 12771 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in the Wellington Plaza.

Last year, longtime local restau-

In fact, the shop’s location at the 2021 Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington includes a custom design studio where riders can create their own one-of-a-kind dream tack setup.

“Custom design with JUDI items will be a fantastic addition to C U at X Tack’s offerings,” Katie Hoog said. “It will allow riders to create a completely custom, matching set of tack that will be just as unique and one-of-a-kind as their partnership with their horse.”

The addition of the JUDI line is just the latest in a series of achievements for the duo as they continue to expand C U at X Tack’s business goals and customer reach.

Launched in 2017, the shop started

Kickback Neighborhood Tavern is in the Wellington Plaza. rant Backstreets closed its doors to enjoyable event, Kickback will undergo a major refresh and return be expanding its outdoor area to as Kickback Wellington. The deli- provide more open-air options and cious food, cold beverages, great promote social distancing. people and live music lineup are Learn more about Kickback back, and Kickback is ready to Neighborhood Tavern at www. celebrate. facebook.com/KickbackWellingIn an effort to host a safe and ton or call (561) 795-0100.

U-Haul Company of Florida recently announced that Advance Hauling Pak Mail has signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer to serve the Wellington community.

Advance Hauling Pak Mail at 4095 S. State Road 7, Suite L, will offer essential services like U-Haul trucks, towing equipment, moving supplies and in-store pickup for boxes.

Normal business hours are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Reserve U-Haul products at this dealer location by calling (561) 753-8107 or visiting www.uhaul.com/Locations/ Truck-Rentals-near-WellingtonFL-33449/051190 today.

Advance Hauling Pak Mail partners Michael and Roya Hejazi are proud to team with the industry

leader in do-it-yourself moving and self-storage to better meet the demands of Palm Beach County.

U-Haul has teamed with independent dealers to offer moving equipment since 1945. With the COVID-19 outbreak creating challenging times for small businesses, more than 20,000 dealers across the U.S. and Canada are creating supplemental income through their U-Haul partnerships. When a customer rents from a U-Haul dealer, they are directly supporting an independent small business in their community.

As an essential service provider, U-Haul stores and dealers continue to serve the public. Products are utilized by first responders, delivery companies bringing needed supplies to people’s homes, small businesses trying to remain afloat,

college students and countless other dependent groups — in addition to the household mover.

Visit www.uhaul.com for more information on how U-Haul is keeping its team members and customers safe.

U-Haul offers programs that inherently promote social distancing with minimal or no contact with others. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 allows customers to create an online account and pick up their truck at any hour using only their smartphone with photo feature and GPS. Trained Live Verify agents interact with customers online, enabling them to skip the lines and go straight to their truck.

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of 22,000 locations across all 50 states.

Seagull Services Launches New Banquet Staff Training Program

Seagull Services is launching a new training opportunity in connection with its Supported Employment program to train people for work in the banquet industry.

Students are learning how to prepare tables for banquets and other food service settings to better prepare them for potential employment in the culinary and banquet industry. It’s one of three new training opportunities that Seagull

Services is offering its Supported Employment participants.

Seagull Services is a West Palm Beach-based nonprofit that provides educational, vocational and life skills training to students and adults with developmental disabilities.

“We’re super-excited about this new program,” said Olivia Morris, Seagull Services’ director of Supported Employment. “While some

of our students learn a little about the culinary industry through existing internships, this program will prepare all of them for possible employment in culinary fields.”

Seagull has partnered with Johnson & Wales University, one of the premier culinary training programs in the nation, to provide training and evaluation of the students’ work. Jim Flader, assistant professor of the College of Food,

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Innovation and Technology, will be participating in an online session to work with the students as they master three types of table settings: basic, casual and formal.

Flader will evaluate the students’ final project in the course in which each will pick a menu, location and the appropriate table setting, and create story boards to depict their tablescape.

Later this year, Seagull’s Sup-

ported Employment program will begin two additional training programs — an office assistance program focused on filing and other basic office skills and a grocery bagging program.

Seagull’s Supported Employment program has continued via online classes since the pandemic caused shutdowns. But some Supported Employment participants already in the workforce have been

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on their jobs throughout the pandemic, with support from Seagull’s team. The new training programs are designed as pre-employment training to make Seagull’s Supported Employment students ready for immediate employment in those fields.

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February 12 - February 25, 2021

The Town-Crier

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FEATURES

On Valentine’s Day, I’m In Love With My Dream Of Life Post COVID

Valentine’s Day is just about here, and I am soooo in love!

I’m in love with my husband, my kids, my parents and every single one of my family members (odd, but true).

I’m in love with the fact that all those scientists put their heads together and came up with a vaccine for those of us who want it. (For the rest of you, two words — natural selection.)

I’m in love with looking forward to the world slowly grinding back into motion, which will allow us to eat in restaurants, go to movies, work out at the gym and go swimming. I had planned to go on my first European cruise last year, but now I’m thinking 2022 will be just fine — as

Deborah Welky is

The Sonic BOOMER long as they can get the mutations under control and other countries start opening up their borders.

I’m even in love with the idea of doing things in groups — something I formerly avoided like the plague but, since the plague, have sort of missed. (Isn’t it

funny how that works?)

I’m also in love with things I found to amuse myself while in “lockdown” — things like decoupage and online Scrabble and cooking (no, not cooking — faithful readers know that is just me, teasing my ever-hopeful husband).

What are you looking forward to doing the most? What have you missed, that maybe you didn’t think you would ever miss? Or whom?

I (of course) want to go to Disney World, then to visit my sister in L.A. and, finally, to help my sister-in-law in Texas clean out her garage (as I said I would do way back in 2019).

But, before all that, my very first order

of business is to get myself back up to my home state of Wisconsin to visit my 92-year-old parents who have each been locked in a single room for most of 2020.

How they kept their sanity is beyond me.

But now they — and the care facility staff — have been vaccinated, and my parents will be allowed to eat in the lunch room again and to see each other! (I throw that out there in case any of us thought we had it bad.)

I also send a belated thank you to the inventor of the television set. For all the harm he’s done, he saved the sanity of many of us last year.

And to every teacher in the world, I think you may have finally gotten the

appreciation you so long deserved. (Now for the money!)

Here are three of my post-virus predictions: 1) The number of marriages will go up (and the number of divorces will go way up).

2) Families who have been forcibly separated will enthusiastically get back together (then voluntarily and just as enthusiastically separate).

3) children will celebrate being back in school (then start counting the days until summer vacation). In other words, things will get back to normal!

And to you, my dear readers, happy Valentine’s Day!

These Aren’t The Golden Years I Expected... Where’s My Refund?

If we over 65 are really in our “golden years,” then the value of gold (not the price) has certainly dipped sharply. I have heard for decades how wonderful these life-ending years are. And, frankly, it is a lie. And getting worse.

Has anyone noticed how small the print on so many items has gotten? It’s bad enough when my wife and I have to stare at a package of microwave veggies and try to read the number of minutes it’s supposed to cook. There’s so much printed on all the envelopes that we have no real interest in and much of it is in larger print. But then the two of us are squinting, despite our eyeglasses, and trying to figure out if the number is 5 or 6. Who cares about the details about every little ingredient — why not large numbers for the timing directions?

Even worse, our meds have the very small print. We run for the magnifying glass. After all, it could be a warning

‘I’ On CULTURE

By Leonard Wechsler that taking it the wrong way could kill us. But the print on them is so small that even that doesn’t always help. Many of our meds have been designed for older people, so the manufacturers have to know how making it hard to read creates difficulties.

And should we delve into how difficult it is to open those medicine bottles? They have been specifically designed to block the hands of children and those with arthritis. Push and squeeze and turn all at the same time. And do it for just the right

amount of pressure. Perfect for the elderly population.

I was reminded of this when Palm Beach County Tax Collector Anne Gannon sent me a birthday present for my 77th birthday… a new license plate! Now, I interviewed her for this newspaper years ago and found her charming and straightforward. But as I put a screwdriver in my shaking hands (at this point, it might be classified as a dangerous weapon), I wondered why she seeks to punish those of us who are elderly. After all, if we are excused from jury duty — and keep in mind that most older people who are no longer working might prefer spending some time on a jury if our governmental leaders made it a more pleasant experience — why should we have to go through these other tasks? I had the same license plates in New York for 15 years. Now my car is on its third set in seven years.

I am convinced Big Tech hates all the

old people. Every time there is a new generation of phone, all the systems within it are changed. When you’re a kid, it seems natural to do things differently.

When you get older, you like stability. It took me time to learn how to send photos to friends. Well, to send them and ensure they actually got them. Then I got a new phone, and there’s a whole new system.

And from what I saw watching my daughter send photos, the change seems to have been made for no reason.

I’ve also noticed that some medical tests that used to be recommended for us are no longer recommended. My gastroenterologist mentioned in passing that once I reached 80, I might need one more of those uncomfortable ones. Since I remembered bringing a nearly 90 year old friend for one of those fun times about five years ago, I questioned that. It seems a panel decided it was no longer of much use to give them to the really elderly. And they’re pushing

the age back for the first one. I asked him what tests were now given more often than before, and after some thought he replied, “Well, COVID.” Right!

There are fewer tests being given to those getting older. It might cost a few lives, but the rich will probably pay the full fees themselves, and the rest of us just might not live as long.

There are also stories about how virus vaccines, promised to go first to seniors who are the most vulnerable group, wind up in the hands of younger, more entitled people. Yes, we’re better off in Florida than in a lot of states, and we seem to be far better off than they are in Europe, but again there are too few people watching out for us.

So what will we do? Mostly we will get sick and die over time, and the politicians will mouth platitudes. Once we were honored; now we are tolerated. So much for the value of gold.

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The Town-Crier

www.gotowncrier.com

February 12 - February 25, 2021 Page 29

HERE’S MY CARD United K9 Special Patrol Protection by Officers who have been thoroughly screened & drug tested

IVA P. WUMMER President 30+ Years In Business

Office: 561-848-2600 Fax: 561-848-8752 Cell: 561-301-8399 Lic. & Ins. #B-0000845

Email: unitedk9@bellsouth.net

535 RPB Blvd. • Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411

B. ELLIS ENTERPRISES, INC.

Irrigation Repairs

$65.00 1st Hour - $40.00 Hour After Commercial & Residential

Ben Ellis President Office 561.798.1477 Mobile 561.722.5424

U2597 CGC015908 8620 Wendy Lane E. West Palm Beach, FL 33411

DATTILE PLUMBING, INC.

B. ELLIS ENTERPRISES, INC.

Irrigation Installation $3,499.00 on 1 1/4 Acre Lots

W.H. BROWN,LLC PAINTING

THE BEST IN THE WEST

Free Estimates On All New Systems

Commercial & Residential Ben Ellis President U2597 CGC015908 Office 561.798.1477 8620 Wendy Lane E. West Palm Beach, FL 33411 Mobile 561.722.5424

DOUGLAS DATTILE

dattileplumbing@yahoo.com

PRESIDENT

SERVING WESTERN PALM BEACH COUNTY SINCE 1973

561 -793 -7484

Free Estimates

Lic. #U-16274 Bonded Insured Wallpaper Removal

(561) 313-0409

WWW.DATTILEPLUMBING.COM

CFC057769

Residential Commercial

Knockdown Textures Interior - Exterior Carpentry Repairs

Drywall Repairs

561-795-2599 jhauto1@bellsouth.net Mon - Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m

180 Business Park Way, Ste A1 Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411

GET-IT-DONE SERVICES TOM FORBES

OWNER

Sheri L. Scholl

Clean Outs Handyman Services Pressure Washing AND Much Much More!

561-545-0139

REALTOR®

Mobile Phone

LETS GO GREEN

tomforbes77@gmail.com

561.596.5232 561.404.7263 Facebook.com/SlschollRealtor Sheri@SignatureFlorida.com

7431 West Atlantic Avenue. Suite 49 Delray Beach, FL 33446

www.Signatureflorida.com

CLASSIFIEDS • • • WELLINGTON ROYAL PALM BEACH LOXAHATCHEE THE ACREAGE

Professional Services

Professional Services

Employment Opportunities

A/C Refrigeration Services

Plumbing

HURRICANE SHUTTER INSTALLER WANTED

JOHN C. HUNTON AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION, INC.—Service & new installation FPL independent participating contractor. Lic. CAC 057272 Ins. “We are proud supporters of the Seminole Ridge Hawks” 561-798-3225. Family Owned & Operated since 1996. Credit Cards Accepted

Cleaning - Home/Office CLEANING LADY — I can help get your house cleaner than ever! Try me once and you will not be disappointed! 561-657-0420

Electrical Contractor SINGER ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING, INC. — Electrical work you can trust at an affordable price, Fully Licensed and Insured. EC#13007941 561-425-5409

Home Improvement ANMAR CO.— James’ All Around Handyman Service. Excellent craftsman Old time values. Once you’ve had me! You’ll have me back! Lic. Ins. Certified Residential Contractor CRC1327426 561-248-8528

Home Repairs PA I N T I N G - C A R P E N T RY- D RY WA L L REPAIRS-REMODELS AND ADDITIONS — 35 Years Experience. State Licensed CRC 057254 Fully Insured One Call Does It All 772-233-6733 ACTION BUILDERS L.L.C.

Insurance ALL COUNTY INSURANCE — 561-4710513 If you need Commercial and General liability; Rental and Vacant property; Business/ Work Vehicles Auto Insurance Payroll/Work Comp AnthonyA@allcountyinsurance.com

Painting J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, Chemical Roof Cleaning, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential. Interior & Exterior painting. Certified -pressure cleaning & painting contractor. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch 309-6975 or visit our website at www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com JOHN PERGOLIZZI PAINTING INC. — Interior/Exterior - Repaint specialist, pressure cleaning, popcorn ceiling, drywall repair & roof painting. Family owned/ owner operator. Free Est. 798-4964 Lic. #U18473

POO-MAN — Pumping, plumbing, & drain cleaning. For all your septic & plumbing needs!

Let the Poo Crew come to you. 561-318-8416

Roofing

Shop Work • Screen Fabricator and Installer.

Salary Open. Acreage and RPB Area.

Call P&M 791-9777

ROBERT G. HARTMANN ROOFING — Specializing in repairs. Free estimates, Bonded,insured. Lic. #CCC 058317 Ph: 561-790-0763.

N U R S E P R A C T I T O N E R A S S I S TA N T — P a r t t i m e 9 a m - 1 p m , F r o n t / B a c k o ff i c e .

Phlebotomy / EKG ,experienced required.

Loxahatchee area, call 561-315-2438

R O O F I N G R E PA I R S R E - R O O F I N G A L L TYPES — Pinewood Construction, Inc. Honest and reliable. Serving Palm Beach County for over 20 years. Call Mike 561-309-0134 Lic. Ins. Bonded. CGC-023773 RC-0067207

OFFICE ASSISTANT NEEDED — Full-Time Position,Working with CRM System , Good computer & communication skills necessary Send resume to shainline@aerogear.us or call 561-223-2590

NEIL O’NEAL JR. ROOFING — Roofing & Reroofing. Family owned and operated. Residential/ Commercial. Wood Replacement, Roof Coatings, Solar Vents, Skylights & Roof Ventilation. 561-6564945 Lic. & Insured CCC1330208.Free Estimates

Screening J O H N ’ S S C R E E N R E PA I R S E R V I C E — Pool & patio re-screening. Stay tight,wrinkle-free,guaranteed! CRC1329708 call u s 7 9 8 - 3 1 3 2 . w w w. p o o l s c r e e n r e p a i r. c o m

Septic Service DANNY’S SEPTIC SERVICE — 561-689-1555 Commercial/Residential Septic Tank and Grease Trap Pumping *Drain Fields *Lift Stations *Drain Cleaning w w w. D a n n y s - S e p t i c . c o m L i c # S R O 111 6 9 6

Sprinkler Systems AQUATIC SPRINKLER, LLC — Complete repair of all types of systems. Owner Operated. Michael Office: 561-964-6004 Cell: 561236-8595 Lic.#U17871 Bonded & Ins. Serving the Western Communities Since 1990

Wallpapering PAPERHANGING BY DEBI — Professional Installation,Removal. Repair of Paper. Neat, Clean & Reliable. Quality work with a woman’s touch. 30 years experience. No Job too big or too small. Lic. & Ins. References available. 561-795-5263

Town-Crier Classifieds Call 561-793-7606

Psychic Reader MADAME ROSE PSYCHIC — Licensed In Florida And Palm Beach County. 62 Years, Advice And Help In All Matters, By Appointment Only, Call 561-683-5164

Town-Crier Classifieds Call 561-793-7606

Fictitious Name Notice Legal Notice No. 695 Notice Under Fictitious Name Florida Statute 865.09 Public notice is hereby given that the undersigned desires to engage in business under the fictitious name of:

Garage/Yard Sale

For Sale Mobility Scooter MOBILITY SCOOTER GOGO ELITE TRAVELER

Excellent condition $920, please call 609-781-5524

Virtual Reality System FOR SALE OCULUS QUEST 2 — $300.00

Brand new, in box and sealed. Retail $399.99.

561-676-5032

Town-Crier Classifieds Call 561-793-7606

Wellington 2 FAMILY MOVING SALE, Saturday Feb 20.

8:30am - 1pm. Lakefield West at 1945 & 1948 S. Club Dr. Items for sale include Furniture, Home decor, Art, Rugs, Kitchen ware, Electronics, Clothing, Outdoor furniture, Biycles, tools and live plants. ALL MUST GO E S TAT E S A L E - W E L L I N G TO N 1 9 4 5 S .

CLUB DR. Friday Feb 19 10:00am - 5pm.

— Masks required. At gate press telephone symbol button,then 214. Cash Only.

West Palm Beach Garage Sale Every Saturday in February — Off Jog Road between Summit & Southern. Call for list, location & appointment. 561-701-0752

LAKEFIELD WEST ANNUAL ALL COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE!

Saturday February 20th 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Aero Club Drive & South Club Drive, Opposite Wanderers Club

Gates Open at 8:30 a.m.

Masks MUST Be Worn And Maintain Social Distancing

The Cats Coffee Located at:

11166 Grandview Manor, Wellington, Florida 33414 County of Palm Beach, Florida and intends to register said name with the Division of Corporations the of Florida, forthwith

Adam Reynolds

Publish:Town-Crier Newspaper

Date: 2-12-21

FINE MERCHANDISE FROM A FINE COMMUNITY!

Page 30 February 12 - February 25, 2021

The Town-Crier

www.gotowncrier.com

WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE

Call Today! 561-689-1555 Proudly Serving Greater Palm Beach County!

$10 OFF Coupon

Commercial/Residential •Septic Tank & Grease Trap Pumping

All Types of Pressure Cleaning, Chemical Roof Cleaning, Houses, Driveways, Patios, etc. and Interior/Exterior Painting

• Drain Fields • Lift Stations • Drain Cleaning

www.Dannys-Septic.com Customer@Dannys-Septic.com

HURRICANE IMPACT ACCORDION SHUTTERS

WHITE

ALUMINUM STORM PANELS

GLOVES

Miami-Dade Hurricane approved

cleaning service

P&M

“Let the Poo Crew come to you”

Patrycja Jaskolski (561) 657-0420

www.poo-man.com

References, Experience, Professional Service

For all your Septic and Plumbing needs!

CONTRACTORS Local Contractors

poomanpumping247@gmail.com 561-318-8416 561-540-5929

561-791-9777 U-17189 Licensed & Insured

INSURANCE

Be Your Own Boss!

Salon, Spa Suite Services

Jewelry Exchange 

Looking for

Looking for Hairdressers,

Fine Gold, Silver

Barbers, Nail Techs,

& Diamond Jewelers,

Massage Therapist, Estheticians, Tattoo & Permanent Make Up Artist

561-499-9935 x 0

Watch Makers & Certified

700 S. Military Trail • West Palm Beach, FL 33415

For information call

Swiss Watch Repairs

561-499-9935 x 0WC

WC

ALL HOME REPAIRS

children • community • seniors

ONE CALL DOES IT ALL

772-233-6733

STATE LICENSED CRC 057254 FULLY INSURED

Gemologist,

• Commercial & General Liability • Rental & Vacant Property • Business / Work Vehicles • Auto Insurance

Ph:561-471-0513

For information call

35 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Homes | Apartments | Offices

Be Your Own Boss!



PAINTING CARPENTRY DRYWALL REPAIRS REMODELS AND ADDITIONS

piwanska@yahoo.com

The Wellington Community Foundation, Inc. is a charitable organization committed to benefiting the residents of Wellington by supporting and improving their quality of life.

561-333-9843

Learn More About Becoming Involved By Visiting Our Website Today!

www.wellingtoncommunityfoundation.org

Singer Electrical Contracting, Inc. is a family owned business fully licensed and insured with over 20 years of electrical experience.

Residential • Lighting • Commercial Certified Electrical Contractor (EC#13007941)

561-425-5409 www.singerelectricalcontracting.com

The Town-Crier

www.gotowncrier.com

February 12 - February 25, 2021

Page 31

Wellington

13860 Wellington Trace

(The Courtyard Shops) Right Next Door To Publix

561-429-3569 Also Visit Us At Our Stuart Location 5899 Southeast Fed. Hwy D-1 • 772-283-9900

WE WILL MEET OR BEAT ANY OTHER LIQUOR STORE’S LOCALLY ADVERTISED PRICES! Offer valid only when presenting local competitors print ad

Absolut Vodka $26.99

1.75L

Ciroc Vodka $29.99

750ML

Chopin Vodka $49.99

1.75L

Grey Goose Vodka $24.99 750ML

$49.99

1.75L

Skol Vodka

Stoli Vodka

Svedka Vodka

$13.99

$27.99

$20.99

Three Olives Vodka $24.99

Seagram’s Gin

Beefeater Gin

Tanqueray Gin

$32.99

$19.99

$29.99

$36.99

Kahlua Rum and Coffee Liqueur $39.99

Russian Standard Vodka $23.99

Margaritaville

Black Coral Rum

Bacardi Rum

$19.99

$18.99

1.75L

Tito’s Vodka 1.75L

1.75ML

1.75L

750ML

1.75L

1.75L

1.75L

(Light/Dark)

1.75L

Captain Morgan Rum $22.99

Malibu Rum

J.W. Red Label Scotch

Chivas Regal

1.75L

$22.99

1.75L

1.75L

1.75L

1.75L

1.75L

Skyy Vodka $21.99 1.75L

TWO FOR

$39.99 1.75L

$15.99

1.75L

Monte Alban

Partida Blanco Tequila

Admiral Nelson 80 Rum

$24.99

$29.99

$39.99

$16.99

Cruzan Rum

Don Q Rum

Ron Rico Rum

Brugal Anejo Rum

$16.99

$30.99

Sailor Jerry Rum $26.99

Dewars Scotch Whiskey $29.99

Ballentine’s Scotch

Seagram’s VO

$35.99

$29.99

$22.99 Jim Beam

(Light/Dark)

1.75L

(Light/Dark)

(SilverReposado)

1.75L

(Light/Dark)

$22.99

$21.99

Mount Gay Rum $42.99

1800 Tequila

Clan MacGregor Rare Blended $19.99

J&B Scotch

1.75L

1.75L

1.75L

(Light/Reposdo)

$39.99

1.75L

750ML

(Light/Dark)

1.75L

1.75L

Courvoisier VS Cognac

Crown Royal

Canadian Club

Glenlivet 12 Years

$46.99

$21.99

$45.99

$17.99

$79.99

750ML

Platinum Vodka

1.75L

Jameson’s Irish Whiskey 1.75L

$18.99 1.75L

Bombay St. Brendans Irish Sapphire Cream Gin $25.99 $35.99

$54.99

1.75L

Regular

(OR)

$35.99

1.75L

Pinnacle Vodka All Flavors $19.99 1.75L

1.75L

Tequila

1.75L

Ketel One Vodka $39.99

1.75L

(Regular)

1.75L

1.75L

1.75L

1.75L

1.75L

1.75L

1.75L

1.75L

1.75L

(All Flavors)

$14.99

750ML

These prices good with this ad only. Good thru 2/28/21. Photos are for illustrative purposes only. We are not responsible for Typographical errors.

Page 32

February 12 - February 25, 2021

The Town-Crier

www.gotowncrier.com

A New Concept with Old Florida Charm

Explore inspired living at Wellington Bay a luxurious senior living community in an enviable location, Wellington Bay offers you the opportunity to enjoy your retirement years to their fullest. You’ll live in a spacious, upscale apartment, revel in a host of resort-like amenities, and engage in stimulating whole-person wellness programs for your body and mind.

You’ll also appreciate the coveted financial freedom of our flexible rental model.

Call 561.335.5405 to learn more about the inspiring lifestyle of Wellington Bay.

Join Our Priority Partner Program Today

2 5 9 0 W E L L I N G T O N B AY D R

| WELLINGTON, FL 33414

|

561.335.5405

Retirement living choices from the Liberty Senior Living family.

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| W E L L I N G T O N B AY F L . C O M

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